ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: U.S. Vice President JD Vance said talks between the United States and Iran ended early on April 12 without a peace deal because Iran refused to accept U.S. demands to stop developing nuclear weapons.

The important talks lasted 21 hours. Vance said he stayed in close contact with President Donald Trump and other officials throughout. He said the U.S. wants a clear promise from Iran that it will not try to build nuclear weapons or the tools needed to make them quickly. He added that this is the main goal of the U.S. government.

Vance said he spoke with Trump many times during the talks, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the United States Central Command. He said the U.S. negotiated honestly, has now made its final offer, and it is up to Iran to accept it.

Trump had earlier said attacks on Iran would pause for two weeks, but Vance did not say what would happen after that or if the ceasefire would continue.

The talks took place days after a weak two-week ceasefire began, during a war that has lasted seven weeks, killed thousands, and shaken global markets. Pakistani officials said top negotiators will meet again after a short break, while some technical teams are still in discussions.

At the same time, the U.S. military said two ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz before mine-clearing work, though Iran denied this. Trump said the U.S. would clear the strait whether or not a deal is reached, and described the talks as serious, while Iranian media said there were major disagreements.

The U.S. team, led by Vance, and the Iranian team, led by Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, also discussed with Pakistan how to move forward with the ceasefire, which is under pressure due to disagreements and ongoing attacks involving Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since the Iranian Revolution, direct contact between the U.S. and Iran has been rare. One key moment was in 2013, when Barack Obama spoke with Hassan Rouhani about Iran's nuclear program. Later, John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif met during talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran's state media said the current talks only began after some conditions were met, such as fewer Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. Iran also set "red lines," including demands for compensation for damage from U.S.-Israeli strikes that started the war on February 28, and the release of its frozen money.

The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, over 2,000 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf countries. It has also badly damaged infrastructure across several Middle Eastern nations. Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz has reduced oil and gas exports, pushing global energy prices higher.

Officials said representatives from countries such as China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar were also in Islamabad to quietly assist with the talks.