NPR News: 04-12-2026 7AM EDT

Marathon negotiations between American and Iranian delegations collapsed overnight, with the two sides blaming each other for the failure to reach a breakthrough on ending the war in Iran. The collapse came just days after the two countries agreed to a temporary ceasefire, but that deal is now showing signs of severe strain. In a statement to Iranian state media, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the two sides "reached an understanding on a number of issues, but ultimately the talks did not lead to an agreement." He added that issues such as Iran’s demand that it continue to control the Strait of Hormuz added complexities to the talks and that "we should not have expected to reach an agreement in one meeting from the beginning." After the talks collapsed, Vice President JD Vance said the US needs a commitment from Iran that it will not seek a nuclear weapon, nor pursue the tools to quickly build one. Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is civilian and that it has a right to continue enriching uranium for that purpose. The status of the two-week ceasefire is uncertain, as are the possibilities of further negotiations.

Strait of Hormuz and Global Energy Concerns