Vice President JD Vance raised new questions Monday about the status of negotiations between the United States and Iran, suggesting that meaningful discussions may still be taking place despite previous reports that Tehran had suspended all communication with Washington.
The comments came during an interview on Jesse Watters Primetime and appeared to contrast with public statements made by Iranian officials in recent days.
Last week, Iran announced that it was suspending talks with the United States, citing Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon. Iranian officials have repeatedly argued that those operations must end as part of any broader agreement aimed at resolving the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
According to reports from an Iranian news agency, the country’s negotiating team halted both direct talks and the exchange of messages through intermediaries, indicating that communication between the two sides had effectively stopped.
The breakdown in negotiations occurred against the backdrop of continued instability in the region. Although a ceasefire remains officially in place, the United States and Iran have continued sporadic exchanges of fire.
The conflict itself began in February with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Since then, tensions have remained elevated, and Iran has responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz, a move that has contributed to rising energy prices.
Despite those developments, Vance offered a notably optimistic assessment of the diplomatic situation during his interview Monday evening.
The vice president emphasized that the administration remains cautious about Tehran’s intentions but suggested that progress may nevertheless be possible.
“I don’t assume that anybody’s acting in good faith,” Vance said. “Obviously, we’ve been very involved in these negotiations.”
He added that the administration intends to pursue any agreement while ensuring that Iran follows through on its commitments over the long term.
“We’re going to take the attitude of accomplish the president’s mission but verify over the long-term that the Iranians are keeping their end of the bargain,” Vance said.
The vice president acknowledged the difficulty of reaching a lasting agreement but argued that recent developments have strengthened the administration’s position.
“It’s a tall order,” Vance said. “But it’s one that the president has put us in a good position to achieve.”
Perhaps most notably, Vance suggested that Iranian officials may be returning to negotiations with substantive proposals.
“The Iranians don’t want this war to continue,” he said. “It’s not in their best interests.”
“And I think they’re coming to the table, putting some real things on the table,” he continued. “We’re of course going verify it, but if we get to this deal, it’s going to be a home run for the American people.”
Those remarks appeared to stand in tension with statements made Monday by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and the country’s chief negotiator.
According to Ghalibaf, the United States is “neither seeking a ceasefire nor seeking dialogue,” a characterization that sharply differs from Vance’s suggestion that meaningful negotiations are underway.
The conflicting messages highlight the uncertainty surrounding the diplomatic process and the difficulty of determining exactly where discussions stand after months of conflict.
The war itself continues to weigh heavily on public opinion. Polling has consistently shown significant skepticism toward the military campaign. According to the figures cited, 64 percent of respondents believe attacking Iran was the wrong decision, while 65 percent disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of the issue.
As fighting continues and negotiations remain clouded by contradictory statements, the administration faces the challenge of convincing Americans that a diplomatic breakthrough is still possible. For now, Vance’s comments suggest the White House believes a path toward an agreement remains open, even as public statements from Tehran paint a far different picture.
