Vance claims US-Iran talks made progress while defending naval blockade
By Zaid Sabah
Vice President JD Vance has told Fox News that recent discussions between Washington and Tehran represent significant movement, while simultaneously defending the administration’s decision to block Iranian shipping.
“I wouldn’t just say that things went wrong; I also think things went right. We made a lot of progress, but we also made very clear – and I think this is part of the progress we made – what the terms where the United States could make some accommodation, what terms we were flexible on, and what things we absolutely needed to see in order for the president of the United States to feel like he was getting a good deal,” Vance said.
Vance characterised the meeting as a historical milestone, noting, “I think it was the first time that you’d ever seen the Iranian government, the US government meet at such a high level, maybe in the history of the current leadership of Iran. So that’s, I think a positive.”
Addressing the military and economic tensions in the region, Vance was blunt about the administration’s strategy to counter Iranian influence. “As to weapons of war, what they have done is engaged in this act of economic terrorism against the entire world. They basically threaten any ship that’s moving through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
He argued that the US blockade was a necessary reciprocal measure. “As the president of the United States showed, we too can play at that game, and if the Iranians are going to try to engage in economic terrorism, we’re going to abide by a simple principle that no Iranian ships are getting out either.”
Vance maintained that while the US applied “additional economic leverage,” the president still desired for the “Iranian people to thrive and succeed”.
Regarding the future of the deal, he concluded: “Did we make progress? Yes. But we’re going to find out from the Iranians whether we can make that ultimate bit of progress that gets us to a big deal.”
