Iran accuses US of derailing Islamabad talks after near agreement

FM Abbas Araghchi says 'Islamabad MoU' was close but US "maximalism and shifting goalposts" blocked the deal

Iran accused the United States early Monday of derailing talks in Islamabad after the two sides had come close to reaching an agreement. “We engaged with the US in good faith to end the war,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement.

He said the parties had been “just inches away” from an “Islamabad MoU” before encountering “maximalism, shifting goalposts and a blockade” from the US side. “Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity,” Araghchi added.

In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war.

But when just inches away from "Islamabad MoU", we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade.

Zero lessons earned

Good will begets good will.
Enmity begets enmity.

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 12, 2026

The remarks came shortly after US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it would begin enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports starting Monday while excluding vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.

The development followed the latest round of Iranian-US talks in Islamabad which ended without an agreement.

Also Read: Trump weighs limited Iran strikes alongside Hormuz blockade after Islamabad talks fail: WSJ

The negotiations on Saturday, mediated by Pakistan, ended following multiple rounds of discussions and exchanges of proposals but failed to produce a breakthrough.

The two sides left Islamabad with key differences unresolved, with both signaling that further diplomatic efforts would be needed.

The talks were part of broader efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28, under a fragile two-week ceasefire brokered earlier.