Pakistani capital Islamabad hosted a historic but inconclusive meeting this weekend between US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — the highest-level direct contact between Washington and Tehran since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Vance stated that the two sides "could not get to a situation where the Iranians were willing to accept our terms," with discussions covering Iran's nuclear commitments, control of the Strait of Hormuz (the narrow waterway through which a fifth of global oil passes), sanctions relief, and a regional ceasefire. Pakistan positioned itself as a neutral facilitator, though analysts noted that overly optimistic pre-talks media coverage had set public expectations too high, making what was always an exploratory opening round appear to many as a diplomatic failure.