Twenty-one hours was not enough to end 47 years of hostility between Iran and the US.
The historic high-level talks in Islamabad, during a pause in weeks of grievous war, were always unlikely to end any other way. Calling this marathon negotiating session a failure belies the scale of the challenge in narrowing wide gaps on complex issues ranging from age-old suspicion about Iran's nuclear programme to new challenges this war has thrown up.
The urgent question now is: what happens next? Would the US president be ready to send his negotiators back to the bargaining table? While reports have emerged that discussions continued even after the talks officially concluded, both sides have signalled a readiness to negotiate further.
Iran's position remains firm; it insists on its right to enrich uranium and continues to resist demands concerning its strategic control of the Strait of Hormuz.
As global concern mounts over the potential escalation of conflict, observers are left questioning whether a path toward diplomacy can still be forged or if the situation will devolve further with lasting consequences for not just the regional, but the global community.
