The development came as US Vice President JD Vance confirmed that 21 hours of negotiations had failed to produce an agreement. “We’ve had a number of substantive discussions… the bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance said, adding that Iran had “chosen not to accept our terms” and that Washington still needs a “fundamental commitment” that Tehran will not develop nuclear weapons.

Iran, however, described the talks as “intensive” and urged the US to avoid “excessive demands and unlawful requests”, signalling that key disagreements particularly over its nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz remain unresolved.

Trump had earlier struck a defiant tone, saying it “makes no difference” whether a deal is reached and claiming the US would “win regardless”. Even as talks were under way, he was trending online after attending a UFC event in Miami, where he received a strong reception from the crowd.

The article shared by Trump suggests a naval blockade as a potential next step, arguing the US Navy could control maritime traffic and choke Iran’s oil exports — a strategy framed as an alternative to direct military escalation.

The collapse of the Islamabad talks — the highest-level US-Iran engagement in years — has cast uncertainty over the fragile ceasefire and raised fears of renewed escalation in the region.