Were 'inches away' from peace deal, says Araghchi
Iran FM says Washington sabotaged peace talks in Islamabad just as two sides were close to reaching a memorandum of understanding
Iran has accused the United States of derailing the peace talks in Islamabad after the two sides had come close to reaching an agreement, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
"We engaged with the US in good faith to end the war," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement on Monday.
He said the parties had been "just inches away" from an "Islamabad MoU" (memorandum of understanding) before encountering "maximalism, shifting goalposts and a blockade" from the US side.
“In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with US in good faith to end war,” he wrote on X.
Araghchi further remarked, “Zero lessons earned. Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity.”
In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 12, 2026
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.
Talks collapse
The remarks have come 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.
The blockade excludes vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.
The development has followed the latest round of Iranian-US talks in Islamabad, which ended without an agreement.
The negotiations on Saturday, mediated by Pakistan, ended following multiple rounds of discussions and exchanges of proposals but failed to produce a breakthrough.