‘Disappointing’: Penny Wong urges US, Iran to keep negotiating
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More news: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has described the breakdown of talks between the US and Iran as “disappointing”.
In a statement distributed to media on Sunday afternoon, Wong encouraged a return to negotiations and a continuation of the ceasefire.
What they said: “It is disappointing that the Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran have ended without agreement,” Wong said.
“The priority now must be to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations. We continue to want to see a swift resolution to this conflict,” she said.
“Any escalation in the conflict would impose an even greater human cost and further impact the global economy.”
No deal reached in US-Iran talks: JD Vance
More news: US vice president JD Vance has provided an update, saying that there has been no deal reached in the talks.
“We go back to the United States having not come to an agreement,” he said on Sunday.
“We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on,” he said.
“And we’ve made clear as we possibly could. And they have chosen not to accept our terms.”
Vance said nuclear weapons was one of the sticking points. He also clarified to reporters that he had been in touch with US President Donald Trump throughout the negotiations.
According to the news agency AFP, Iran’s state media said on Telegram that the US’ demands were “unreasonable” and “prevented the progress of the negotiations”.
‘Right direction’: US-Iran talks to continue as reports indicate progress
The news: A media report from Agence France-Presse has cited an unnamed Pakistani official saying peace talks in Islamabad between US and Iran are “progressing in the right direction”.
Communications from Iran and the US have been limited, with much of the reporting relying on unnamed Pakistani officials. Pakistan is operating as the mediator.
The context: The first round of talks concluded on Sunday morning (AEST) after 14 hours and are due to resume later on the weekend.
An X post from the Iran government said “technical teams from both sides are now exchanging expert texts. Negotiations will continue despite some remaining differences.”
Reuters cited a source from Pakistan saying that US vice president JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi for two hours.
The source told Reuters the “temperature went up and down during the meeting” with “mood swings” from both sides.
The sources: Iran government X post, Reuters, Agence France-Presse
