Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Monday said Tehran engaged in high-level talks with the United States in good faith, but negotiations collapsed due to what he described as US "maximalism" and shifting demands.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Araghchi said the discussions marked the most intensive engagement between Iran and the US in 47 years and were aimed at ending the risk of war. He claimed the talks had progressed to the final stages and were “just inches away” from an agreement referred to as the "Islamabad MoU."
However, Araghchi alleged that the process stalled at the last moment because Washington changed its goals and imposed what he termed a blockade, undermining the prospects for a deal.
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"Zero lessons earned," he wrote, expressing frustration over the outcome. Araghchi added that Iran's approach had been based on constructive intent, stressing that "good will begets good will," while hostility only fuels further enmity.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the US Navy would "immediately" begin enforcing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, following the collapse of peace talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan. The announcement came after 21 hours of direct negotiations in Islamabad ended without an agreement, deepening uncertainty over a fragile ceasefire that has been in place for just two weeks. Trump said the move was intended to prevent ships from entering or leaving the strategic waterway.
Iran has sought the right to collect tolls from vessels transiting the strait, a demand Trump rejected. “No one who pays them will have safe passage on the high seas," he said. The conflict, now in its seventh week, has killed thousands and rattled global markets.
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