Donald Trump on Monday signalled indifference over Iran’s return to negotiations after ceasefire talks in Islamabad failed to produce a breakthrough.
“I don’t care if they come back or not. If they don’t come back, I am fine,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews after returning from Florida.
The remarks came in the wake of high-stakes discussions between US and Iranian delegations that ended without a deal, further dimming prospects of de-escalation in the region.
Trump also claimed that Iran had made its intentions clear during the talks. “They still want it, and they made that clear the other night. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he said, reiterating Washington’s hard line.
Even as negotiations were underway over the weekend, Trump had downplayed their significance. “Maybe they make a deal, maybe they don’t—it doesn’t matter. From the standpoint of America, we win,” he said earlier outside the White House.
The US delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance, who stressed that any agreement would hinge on a clear commitment from Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon or the capability to quickly develop one,” Vance said.
The Iranian side, headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, held discussions aimed at salvaging a fragile ceasefire already strained by deep divisions and ongoing Israeli strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.
Despite the breakdown, Iran’s leadership signalled openness to diplomacy, stating it remained prepared to reach a “balanced and fair” agreement.
The collapse of the talks has raised fresh uncertainty over regional stability. Hopes of easing tensions around the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz—vital for global energy supplies—have taken a hit, while questions linger over whether the US could resume military action against Iran.
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