War in the Middle East: Direct negotiations between the United States and Iran fail in Pakistan.

20 hours to discover their disagreements. Negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan between the United States and Iran failed on Sunday. Neither American nor Iranian officials have commented on the fate of the ceasefire set to expire on April 22.

This marks the first in the war triggered on February 28 by the American-Israeli attack on Iran, resulting in thousands of deaths, plunging the Middle East into conflict and causing turmoil in the global economy, continuing into Lebanon.

Following the negotiations, a high-level in-person meeting between the two enemy countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, US Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan following what he described as a “final and best possible offer”.

Washington reportedly tried to impose its conditions during the talks, with Vance expressing disappointment at Tehran’s lack of a firm commitment to abandoning its nuclear weapons program, a demand from the US president.

Iran’s Parliament President Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf criticized the US as incapable of gaining Iran’s trust during negotiations, attributing the failure to unreasonable demands from the US.

It was clear from the beginning that reaching an agreement in one negotiation session was not expected, stated the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, mentioning an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif believed the talks failed due to American attempts to dictate their conditions.

The complexity of the problems and conditions surrounding the negotiations was acknowledged, with the focus on the nuclear issue and not explicitly mentioning the strategic Strait of Hormuz that has been blocked by Iran.

The US military confirmed the passage of two destroyers through the strait in a demining operation. Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned of severe action against military vessels passing through the strait.

In Saudi Arabia, the oil pipeline crucial for exporting oil during the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz was declared operational again after Iranian attacks targeting US bases, oil and gas installations, airports, and civilian infrastructure in the Gulf countries.

In Iran, where authorities reported attacks on bridges, railway infrastructure, and highways before the truce, almost total internet shutdown continued as the conflict entered its 44th day.

In six weeks of conflict, the Middle East war has resulted in thousands of casualties, especially in Iran and Lebanon. The ceasefire’s implementation excluded Lebanon, where Israel is battling Hezbollah, and the death toll in Lebanon reached over 2000 according to Lebanese officials.

Talks between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, rejected by Hezbollah, are scheduled for Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu expressing a desire for a lasting peace agreement.

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