Diplomacy changed with a single phone call? US withdraws from ‘peace talks’ after Netanyahu’s call

The situation took a dramatic turn in the middle of the ongoing US-Iran talks in Islamabad, Pakistan. Iran alleges that the course of the talks changed after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called US Vice President JD Vance, and the US ultimately withdrew from the agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claimed in a post on social media that the phone call diverted the focus of the talks to Israel’s interests. In his words, “The US has tried to achieve at the negotiating table what could not be achieved in the war.” He added that although the US delegation was initially interested in the talks, their position became tougher after the phone call.

Araghchi said that Iran participated in the talks with goodwill, but the US proposal was unilateral and unacceptable. According to Tehran and regional mediators, Washington not only wanted to ensure free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, but also demanded that Iran completely stop its uranium enrichment program and hand over its existing stockpile—a demand Iran has flatly rejected. However, the United States has yet to officially confirm or deny Netanyahu's phone call.

The collapse of these talks has already begun to have an impact on global energy markets. Analysts say that if an agreement is not reached, oil prices could once again reach triple digits in the international market. This raises the prospect of further escalation in the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.