The ‘joint declaration’ alert came as both sides made significant progress in negotiations
US Vice President JD Vance meets Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ahead of the 2026 Islamabad talks.
ISLAMABAD:
Local and international journalists were exhausted outside the media center set up just steps from the Serena Hotel, where senior Iranian and American officials had held intense negotiations. The Jinnah Convention Center was directly opposite the five-star hotel, but proximity to the venue of the negotiations did not mean having access to what was happening behind closed doors.
But it was around 3 a.m. when some officials present at the center were alerted. The message came from inside the Serena Hotel: “Be ready, there might be a joint declaration.” Suddenly, officials on the verge of sleep had to become agile. But as night gave way to day, the possibility of a “joint declaration” faded.
Instead, a message was relayed to American journalists traveling with the American delegation, indicating that Vice President J.D. Vance would address the reporters.
Vance said he had “bad news” that negotiations between the United States and Iran had not resulted in a deal. But that wasn’t the whole story.
The Express PK Press Club can now report, after interacting with those concerned and diplomatic sources, that the two sides were close to agreeing on a framework before a last-minute hiccup. The alert for a “joint declaration” stemmed from the progress made by both sides.
“The project was ready to be signed,” a diplomatic source said, suggesting the deal was narrowly missed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also confirmed that both sides were inches away from what he called the “Islamabad MoU”, but, according to Iran’s top diplomat, the US side moved the goalposts and resorted to a maximalist stance at the last minute.
Vance, before leaving Pakistan, insisted that Iran’s failure to give firm assurances about not pursuing nuclear weapons had led to the failure of the negotiations.
It now appears that the American side wants Iran to abandon uranium enrichment and all existing stockpiles.
The American side also believes that Iran violated the ceasefire agreement by not immediately reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian side, however, wanted guarantees and remained skeptical that the United States would reverse course after Tehran renounced the nuclear issue and reopened the Strait of Hormuz.
Another factor that prevented both sides from signing on the dotted lines was the lack of communication between the Iranian side and the Iranian leadership due to security concerns.
The American side, on the other hand, had the luxury of speaking with President Donald Trump during the negotiations. Vance confirmed he spoke to Trump nearly a dozen times during the talks.
“This shows how close the two sides are. Otherwise they (the US delegation) would not need to speak with Trump so often,” a diplomatic source said.
The marathon talks may not have produced results but laid the foundation for future engagement.
Iran’s foreign minister called the talks the most intense engagement with the United States since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
“It’s remarkable. Pakistan has done what others could not do,” said another diplomat aware of the developments.
The Iranian ambassador to Pakistan also said that the “Islamabad talks” were not an event but a process that laid the framework for future engagements.
Top Iranian and American officials may have met for 21 hours, but Pakistani interlocutors spent many more hours and days with all sides before the talks.
“A lot of homework was done during this time,” according to sources. “The way Pakistan managed to implement its plans, from security to the organization of negotiations, was exceptional,” acknowledged another diplomatic source.
The key question now is: what happens next?
“Diplomacy is not dead. There is an impasse,” a source said.
Pakistan has not given up its efforts to reach an agreement between the United States and Iran.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who was participating in the talks, contacted key players including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey.
In telephone conversations with his counterparts, Dar stressed that both sides must respect the ceasefire and said Pakistan would continue to mediate between Iran and the United States in the coming days.
Diplomatic sources said senior Egyptian, Turkish and Saudi officials would visit Islamabad this week as part of efforts to prevent a resumption of hostilities in the region.
China is also in the game. He supported the Islamabad talks and said he hoped all parties would seize the opportunity.
Even though the Islamabad negotiations did not meet expectations, there is a feeling that all is not lost and that diplomacy still has a chance to succeed.
President Trump’s threats to impose a naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz may just be a tactical move to pressure Iran into signing a deal, observers say.
“The good thing is that the ceasefire is holding. We hope that before the truce ends there will be progress on the diplomatic front,” a source said.
