Iran Says Talks Pause After 15 Hours, To Resume Despite 'Differences,' While US Tight-Lipped
WASHINGTON -- Iran’s government said the third session of talks between the US and Iran ended in the early hours of April 12 in Islamabad and will continue later in the day despite "differences" between the two sides.
A senior White House official did not confirm to RFE/RL that the talks had ended for the first day, saying only, "15 hours and counting." Sources told RFE/RL that the US delegation was still at the Serena Hotel negotiation site in Islamabad around 4 a.m., about an hour after Iranian sources said talks had been paused.
Some observers said it was possible the sides were still exchanging notes but that active face-to-face negotiations had ended shortly after 3 a.m.
The Iranian government, in a post on X, did not specify a time when the talks would resume in the Pakistani capital.
“With Pakistan's proposal and the acceptance of the negotiating delegations of Iran and America, the continuation of negotiations with Pakistan's mediation will proceed for one more round and after a pause on Sunday [April 12],” Iran’s government said in the post.
The Pakistani-hosted trilateral "in-person" negotiations played out in three sessions over about 15 hours, with occasional breaks taken by the delegations as negotiators looked to battle through several contentious issues in hopes of reaching a peace deal.
The specific points of contention were not immediately disclosed, but US President Donald Trump’s demands have focused on Iran allowing the free flow of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and that it give up its supplies of enriched uranium that could be used to build a nuclear weapon.
Tehran has insisted it would have control of shipping traffic through the strait, that it retain its supplies of enriched uranium, and that it receive reparations for damages from the US-Israeli air strikes that began on February 28.
In addition, Tehran has said Israel must end its attacks on Iran-allied Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
The apparent face-to-face sessions mark the most significant contact by Washington and Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The US formally broke relations with Iran in April 1980 and the two countries typically hold talks through intermediaries.
In Photos: Week Six Of The Iran War
Meanwhile, Trump on April 12 said he was not concerned about whether a deal would be struck in Islamabad.
"Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me. The reason is because we've won," Trump told reporters in Washington.
"We're in very deep negotiations with Iran. We win regardless. We've defeated them militarily," Trump said.
"We defeated their navy, we defeated their air force, we defeated their antiaircraft, we defeated their radar. We defeated their leaders. Their leaders are all dead...we'll open up the Strait, even though we don't use it, because we have a lot of other countries in the world that do use it, that are either afraid or weak..."
"Regardless what happens, we win. We totally defeated that country. And so let's see what happens. Maybe they make a deal, maybe they don't. From the standpoint of America, we win," he said.
Earlier, the White House said that talks were "face-to-face" and involved "a suite of experts" as well as US Vice President JD Vance, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Alex Raufoglu
Trump 'Not A Big Fan' Of Pope After Pontiff's Call For Peace
US President Donald Trump told reporters on April 12 that he is "not a big fan" of Pope Leo XIV, after the pontiff made a plea for peace a day earlier.
"I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo. He's a very liberal person, and he's a man that doesn't believe in stopping crime," Trump told reporters, accusing the pontiff of "toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon."
Hours earlier, Trump attacked the pope in an exceptionally long post on social media, saying, among other things, that "I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon."
The pope, a 70-year-old American, without mentioning Iran or Trump directly, publicly called on leaders to end the violence.
"Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!" the pope said.
US Military To Blockade Iranian Ports Starting April 13
The US military said it will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports as of 10 a.m. Eastern time (5:30 p.m. in Iran) on April 13 in a dramatic move following the failure of US-Iranian peace talks hours earlier.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal, citing officials and others familiar with the matter, reported that US President Donald Trump and his advisers are considering resuming limited military strikes against Iran in addition to the naval actions as a means to break stalemate in peace talks.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for all American forces in the Middle East, on April 12 said the blockade will be enforced "impartially" against vessels of all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas on the "Arabian Gulf" -- also known as the Persian Gulf -- and the Gulf of Oman.
However, the command added that it will not impede the navigation of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.
CENTCOM said additional information will be provided to commercial shippers through formal notices prior to the start of the blockade.
"All mariners are advised to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact US naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches," it said.
The statement appears differ from remarks made earlier in the day by Trump, who had indicated a more widescale blockage.
Trump said the US Navy would “immediately” begin stopping "any and all" ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz after US-Iranian peace talks broke off in Islamabad in the early morning hours of April 12.
"I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas," he wrote on social media.
CENTCOM did not provide specifics of the blockade, such has how many US ships would be used to enforce it, but the statement indicated it would only apply to ships coming to and from Iran.
Iran has effectively halted all shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that has sent global energy prices skyrocketing. Tehran said it would start collecting tolls from ships seeking to pass the waterway.
UPDATE: Trump told reporters late on April 12 that the cease-fire in Iran is "holding well," and he confirmed that a blockade will go into effect at 10 a.m. Eastern time on April 13. He didn't specify the details of the blockade mission.
“At 10 a.m. tomorrow, we have a blockade going into effect — that'll be 10 a.m. tomorrow," he said.
He also said Tehran likely will return to negotiations because “I think Iran is in very bad shape. I think they’re pretty desperate. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.”
However, he added, “I don’t care if they come back or not. If they don’t come back, I’m fine.”
Pezeshkian Accuses US Of 'Double Standards' During Islamabad Talks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused US negotiators of "double standards," saying it was the main obstacle to a potential agreement to end the conflict, according to a statement published by the Iranian presidency on April 12.
"During the negotiations in Islamabad, the United States continued adherence to double standards and its power-political ambitions were the biggest obstacles," Pezeshkian told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call.
He added that Tehran remained willing to reach lasting peace in the region: "An agreement is certainly achievable, but the United States must adhere to internationally recognized rules and international law."
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating pledges to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and said he was ordering its military to start blockading the key waterway and interdict every vessel that had paid a toll to Tehran.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by saying it had full control of the strait. It also warned that Tehran's enemies would be trapped in a "deadly vortex" in the event of any miscalculation.
Trump Says US Warships Will Blockade Strait Of Hormuz 'Immediately'
US President Donald Trump accused Iranian officials of violating pledges to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and said he was ordering US warships to start blockading the critical shipping strait and interdict every vessel that had paid a toll to Iran.
In a lengthy social media post on April 12, Trump also suggested Tehran's unwillingness to curtail its nuclear programs was the reason high-level talks in Pakistan broke down.
Hours earlier, US negotiators including Vice President JD Vance departed Pakistan without reaching a deal. Vance suggested the lack of a deal was "bad news" for Tehran, while Iran centered blame on US officials.
"Iran promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, and they knowingly failed to do so. This caused anxiety, dislocation, and pain to many people and Countries throughout the World," Trump wrote. "There is great dishonor and permanent harm to the reputation of Iran."
US warships, meanwhile, would begin blockading any ships trying to sail through the strait "effective immediately," Trump said.
"I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas," he wrote.
A day earlier, US warships sailed through the strait in what appeared to be a bold signal to Iranian officials to allow global shipping traffic to resume through the narrow waterway.
A marathon negotiating session between US and Iranian officials in Islamabad broke down after the two sides failed to reach agreement on several major points. Vance said Iran's nuclear ambitions were among the critical obstacles.
It was unclear how the breakdown in talks would affect the cease-fire that Trump announced last week, and is set to last until April 21.
Iran has effectively halted all shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that has sent global energy prices skyrocketing. Tehran said it would start collecting tolls from ships seeking to pass the waterway.
In comments to Fox News later on April 12, Trump said the issue of Iran seeking to retain aspects of its nuclear program was central to the talks' failure.
"We didn't get there on the important issue," he said. "They want to have nuclear weapons. They're not going to have nuclear weapons."
Trump also said he was ordering minesweepers to the Persian Gulf, where Iran is believed to have released an unnamed number of mines. He also asserted that other NATO members were willing to help US efforts to resume shipping traffic, though it was unclear what nations he was referring to.
British PM Starmer Calls On US, Iran To 'Find A Way Through'
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on the United States and Iran "to find a way through" after high-level talks between the two countries failed despite marathon negotiations.
In a statement released in London on April 12, Starmer also called for the tenuous cease-fire to remain in place.
"It was vital there was a continuation of the cease-fire, and that all parties avoided any further escalation," Starmer said during a phone call with the leader of the Gulf nation of Oman.
The two leaders also discussed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed to all oil tanker traffic by Iran, a move that has sent energy prices in Britain, and around the world, soaring.
The call came hours after US and Iranian leaders ended their talks with no breakthrough. Departing for the United States, US Vice President JD Vance said, "We've had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. That's the good news."
"The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. And I think that's bad news for Iran much more than it's bad news for the United States," he continued.
Iranian officials signaled they could be open to future talks but placed blame for the breakdown on the Americans.
Britain, one of Washington's closest allies, has reacted coolly to the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Britain was set to host further talks next week on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Forensics Body Identifies More Than 3,300 War Victims In The Country
Iranian authorities said they had identified nearly 3,400 people it said had been killed during US-Israeli strikes on the country that began on February 28.
The Forensic Medicine Organization, which is a part of Iran's judiciary, announced on April 12 that it has "identified and determined the identities of 3,375 people through scientific and specialized methods" of the citizens who died in the US and Israeli strikes.
According to the head of the Forensic Medicine Organization, this total includes 2,875 men and 496 women.
This is the latest official count of civilian deaths in the US-Israeli war with Iran. However, this is the only "identified" death toll from the war.
Previously, several official sources, including the Iranian Red Crescent Organization, have provided sporadic statistics on war deaths in the country, but these statistics did not include a breakdown by gender.
The US-based human rights group HRANA had previously reported the death toll at 3,636, saying of 1,701 -- including 254 children -- were civilians.
Iran's Internet Blackout Enters 44th Day
Iran’s Internet blackout entered its 44th day, activists said, as the government continued muzzling Iranians' connectivity to the outside world.
The government of Tehran shut down access to the worldwide Internet on February 28, the day that the United States and Israel attack the country.
The watchdog group NetBlocks said on April 12 that the blackout had surpassed 1,000 hours.
"The human and economic impacts of the extended censorship measure continue to pile up, breaking global records for shutdowns in a connected society," it said in the post on X.
During massive anti-government protests in January, authorities also throttled Iranians' Internet access, sharply limiting people’s ability to communicate and share information about the brutal crackdown. Thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of people are believed to have been killed by security forces, rights activists said.
Some Iranians have turned to Starlink, the US-built satellite Internet provider, to get information. An estimated 50,000 Starlink terminals are in the country, according to Bloomberg, though the government has banned them and aggressively sought out people using them.
Iranians are also relying shortwave radio, which can transmit over long distances.
Iran Negotiator Says US 'Unable' To Gain Tehran's Trust
The lead negotiator in Iran's talks with the United States said Washington was "unable" to win Tehran's trust during the discussions.
In a post to X on April 12, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who is also the speaker of Iran's parliament, said his negotiators raised "forward-looking" initiatives during talks in Pakistan, but the United States failed to gain the trust of the delegation in the talks.
"My colleagues in the Iranian delegation...put forward constructive initiatives but ultimately the other side was unable to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations," he wrote.
"America has understood our logic and principles, and now it's time for it to decide whether it can earn our trust or not."
Qalibaf's statement came hours after US Vice President JD Vance, who headed the US team, departed Islamabad saying there had been no deal to end the US war with Iran.
Qalibaf appeared to not completely shut the door to more talks in the future, but it was unclear if and when that would happen.
Report: Tehran Aims To Restore Most Refining Capacity In 2 Months
Iran aims to overhaul a majority of its oil refining and distribution facilities -- which have suffered damage in US-Israeli strikes since February 28 -- within the next two months, a senior industry official was quoted as saying.
Deputy Oil Minister Mohammad Sadeq Azimifar told the Student News Network -- an Iranian news agency -- that he hopes the facilities will be restored to 70-80 percent of their pre-war capacity.
He said repairs have already begun and that part of the Lavan refinery is expected to resume operations within about 10 days, with other units coming back online gradually.
Oil exports are a critical source of revenue for Iran's economy. The US-Israeli attacks have badly damaged its oil infrastructure, and Iran has all but closed down the Strait of Hormuz, where a huge proportion of global oil tanker traffic passes through.
Global energy prices have skyrocketed as a result.
Iran 'In No Hurry' To Negotiate With US
Tehran has no plans for the next round of peace talks to end the war, Iran's Fars news agency reported, after Islamabad peace talks collapsed and US officials departed for Washington.
The agency, which is closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said "Iran did not accept America's ambitious conditions on the Strait of Hormuz, peaceful nuclear energy and several other issues."
The agency cited "a source close to the Iranian negotiating team" in Islamabad.
"The Americans demanded through negotiations everything they could not obtain through war," the person said, adding that he believed "the American team was looking for an excuse to leave the negotiating table."
Another Iranian news agency, Tasnim, also quoted an "informed source" as saying that "a time and place for the next possible round of negotiations has not yet been determined."
"Iran is in no hurry" the agency, which is also affiliated with the IRGC, quoted the person.
Until the United States "agrees to a reasonable agreement… there will be no change in the situation in the Strait of Hormuz,” Tasnim said.
"The ball is in America's court and Iran is in no hurry to negotiate," Tasmin quoted the unnamed person as saying.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the US negotiating team, departed the Pakistani capital on the morning of April 12.
The Iranian delegation was led by Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.