TODAY’S PAPER | April 12, 2026 | EPAPER

FM Dar calls on US, Iran to uphold ceasefire commitment after talks end without agreement

Vance says it's bad news for Iran, much more than the United States of America


Web Desk April 12, 2026 3 min read
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. SCREENGRAB

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday stressed that the US and Iran should continue to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire as talks ended without an agreement.

“It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire,” said Dar during a presser as US Vice President Vance departed this morning after announcing the conclusion of talks without any result.

In a press conference, Dar expressed deep gratitude to Iran and the US for responding to the call made by Prime Minister Shehbaz for an immediate ceasefire in the region and accepting the invitation to hold peace talks in Islamabad.

He further expressed gratitude to the two sides for appreciating Pakistan’s efforts to help achieve the ceasefire and its mediatory role. 

Dar said, “I, along with the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, helped mediate several rounds of intense and constructive negotiations between the two sides, which continued through the last 24 hours and ended this morning.” 

He said that Pakistan hope that the two sides continue with a positive spirit to achieve durable peace and prosperity for the entire region and beyond.

"Pakistan has been and will continue to play its role to facilitate engagement and dialogue between Iran and the US in the days to come," he added.

Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan after announcing that intensive discussions with Iran failed to reach an agreement, yet he appreciated Pakistan’s efforts.

"We have been at it now for 21 hours, and 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 of America," he said while addressing a press conference.

Vance also appreciated PM Shehbaz and CDF Field Marshal Munir, saying, “Both incredible hosts, and whatever shortcomings of the negotiation, it wasn't because of the Pakistanis who did an amazing job and really tried to help us and the Iranians bridge the gap and get to a deal." 

A day earlier, PM Shehbaz held a meeting with US and Iranian delegations and affirmed Pakistan's sincere resolve to continue its mediatory role.

The Iranian delegation was led by Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf and assisted by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the US delegation was led by VP JD Vance, along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the region. Last month, the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, which prompted Tehran to retaliate with attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. This escalation of tensions in the Middle East led to efforts by political and military leadership in Pakistan to de-escalate the situation.

To ease tensions, Pakistan had also hosted a quadrilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Islamabad, with representatives from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The meeting grabbed the world's attention and was widely appreciated for Pakistan's efforts.

Pakistan and China also jointly proposed a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East.

COMMENTS (1)

Benjamin | 8 minutes ago | Reply Every one knew the talks will fail. US delegates led by US Vice President JD Vance were sitting in one room and Iran delegation were in another room. Both parties preferred not to face each other. Iran 10 points for cease fire plus peace conditions will never be accepted by US and vice versa.
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