Vice President JD Vance declared that the Trump administration’s goal is to “transform our relationship” with Iran during his opening remarks in Switzerland at Sunday’s meeting with top negotiators from Tehran.
Vance stressed that in order to do this, Washington needs ironclad commitments from the Islamic Republic to give up its aspirations of obtaining a nuclear weapon — something Tehran has long claimed it isn’t pursuing.
“What the president has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran, and to extend an outstretched hand that says to the people of Iran that if your leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability,” Vance said.
“If they are willing to give up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country,” he went on. “That is certainly our goal.”
Vance’s remarks came as the first round of talks with Iran under the memorandum of understanding have kicked off in Switzerland. The talks had been delayed due to clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.
The MOU had laid out a 14-point framework for peace between the US and Iran while allotting 60 days to hash out a more fleshed-out peace deal.
“The opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the ending of the Iranian nuclear program, all of these things have already been accomplished,” Vance went on. “The question before us now is, how much more can we accomplish together?”
“Can we turn over a new leaf? Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently? Or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference.”
The vice president’s public olive branch to Iran drew a sharp contrast with President Trump’s fiery rhetoric toward the regime. The commander-in-chief on Sunday threatened retaliation if Tehran closes the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supply once flowed through annually.
Trump claimed he spoke with Iranian officials ahead of Vance’s meeting in Switzerland.
“You close it, and you won’t have a country,” Trump told Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst about his message to Iran. “You won’t even make it back to your f—ing country.”
The president also ripped into Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for publicly declaring that “we will not give up our right to enrichment” and that the US will “be forced to accept it.”
“He better watch his mouth. He better shape up, or we’ll take over the rest of the country,” Trump told Fox News.
Trump described the MOU as a “60-day option” and stressed that he “can do whatever I want” afterward, musing that the US could become the “guardian angel” of the Strait of Hormuz and charge tolls for it.
On Sunday, Trump also warned Iran to rein in Hezbollah.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
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