Islamabad Talks Collapse After 21 Hours; US Imposes Naval Blockade of Iran
On 11–12 April 2026, the United States and Iran held their highest-level direct talks since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. A 300-member US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, faced a 70-member Iranian team led by Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Araghchi in Islamabad, mediated by Pakistan. After 21 hours of negotiations, the talks collapsed: Vance demanded an unambiguous commitment that Iran would never seek a nuclear weapon or the means to quickly achieve one; Araghchi accused the US of moving the goalposts. Trump immediately declared the US would blockade all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. The US Navy's blockade took effect at 10 a.m. ET on 13 April, sending oil prices back above $100 a barrel, triggering IRGC threats of retaliation, and prompting France and the UK to call urgently for freedom-of-navigation talks — leaving the conflict at its most dangerous inflection point since the war began.
Source Events (2)
- Islamabad Talks — Highest-Level US-Iran Direct Talks Since 1979 — Collapse After 21 Hours JD Vance leads a 300-member US delegation to Islamabad for direct face-to-face talks with a 70-member Iranian team led by Foreign Minister Araghchi — the highest-level direct US-Iran contact since 1979. After 21 hours of negotiations, the talks collapse over Iran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz. View event details →
- US Navy Blockade of Iranian Ports Takes Effect as Trump Vows to Sink Approaching Ships After the Islamabad talks fail, Trump orders the US Navy to blockade all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, effective April 13 at 10 a.m. ET. The IRGC vows retaliation, oil prices surge above $100, and France and the UK call for urgent freedom-of-navigation talks. View event details →