As the Pakistan-mediated talks between Iran and the United States ended without an agreement after nearly 21 hours of continuous discussions in Islamabad, Iran presented a different account of why the negotiations failed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly suggested that external interference played a role in derailing the talks. According to a post on X attributed to Araghchi and cited by Press TV, he claimed that an alleged phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to JD Vance during the negotiations altered the course of discussions. He also expressed disappointment with Washington’s conduct during the talks.
“Netanyahu’s call to Vance during the meeting shifted the focus on US-Iran negotiations to Israel’s interest. The US tried to achieve at the negotiating table what it could achieve through war,” Araghchi said.
Did Iran’s Abbas Araghchi Claim Netanyahu’s Phone Call Led to Talks Failure?
Despite the claims, no such post referencing the alleged phone call was found on Araghchi’s official X timeline.
However, his latest verified post suggested that the negotiations had encountered unexpected hurdles at a critical stage. Reflecting on the outcome, Araghchi wrote:
“In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war. But when just inches away from ‘Islamabad MoU’, we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade.”
He concluded with a pointed remark:
“Zero lessons earned. Good will begets good will.”
US Calls It ‘Final Offer’, Blames Iran for Deadlock
At a press briefing following the talks, US chief negotiator and Vice President JD Vance said Washington had presented its “final and best offer” to Tehran, which was ultimately rejected. He maintained that the failure to secure a deal was “bad news for Iran” more than for the United States.
US President Donald Trump directly blamed Iran for the collapse of negotiations. In a post on Truth Social shortly after the talks ended, Trump said, “The meeting with Iran began early in the morning, and lasted throughout the night – Close to 20 hours. I could go into great detail, and talk about much that has been gotten but, there is only one thing that matters – IRAN IS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS!”
Despite the breakdown, Trump reiterated Washington’s long-standing position, asserting that Iran will “never” be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
