ISLAMABAD: Iran and the United States failed to reach an agreement to end the war in the Middle East, US Vice President JD Vance said Sunday after marathon talks in Islamabad, adding that he was leaving after giving Tehran the "final and best offer".
Speaking to AFP, some residents in Islamabad say "only disappointment can be expressed at this stage", while others hope both sides can be brought back to the negotiating table.
"All eyes around the world were on this situation, hoping for some good news, but so far, no such positive progress has been made," Muhammad Javeed, 43, said.
"Only disappointment can be expressed at this stage, but there is hope that in the coming days there will be further improvement, or some new developments may emerge, which are also necessary."
Javeed noted that both sides were "sticking to their positions," adding that for Iran stepping back from its stance on the Strait of Hormuz or its nuclear assets was a "very big and difficult decision."
Muhammad Niaz, a 46-year-old who works at a shop, said complex matters such as the US-Iran one cannot be solved in a single day.
"With the will of God and with Pakistan’s support, as Pakistan continues its efforts—especially the tireless efforts of our Army Chief and the Prime Minister — God willing - they will be brought back to the negotiating table," he said.
Muhammad Kamran, a shop owner, worried about what the future would hold if the negotiations failed.
"If these negotiations fail, God forbid, and the situation returns to what it was three or four days ago, then I believe this would not just be a problem for Pakistan, it would be such a massive threat to the world that people would even forget the First and Second World Wars," he said.
