Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that President Donald Trump remains committed to seeking a diplomatic solution with Iran, even as tensions mount over Tehran's nuclear ambitions and a major U.S. military buildup in the Middle East.
In a recent interview, Vance said he hopes Iranian leaders will approach upcoming negotiations with the seriousness the administration expects as Washington presses Tehran to curb its nuclear program and recognize U.S. "red lines."
"The president has been as crystal clear as he could be — Iran can't have a nuclear weapon," Vance told Fox News. "He's going to try to accomplish it diplomatically."
U.S. and Iranian envoys are scheduled to resume nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday in what would be the third round of indirect negotiations mediated by Oman.
Tehran has signaled it is preparing technical proposals on the nuclear issue, while Washington continues to demand Iran fully abandon any pursuit of atomic weaponry.
Administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have warned that diplomacy must address broader concerns — including Iran's ballistic missile development and support for regional proxies — before a final deal is possible.
While some progress has been reported in earlier rounds of talks in Geneva and Oman, Vance acknowledged that Iran has not yet accepted all of Trump's "red lines" and that significant gaps remain between the two sides.
Despite deep mistrust, both sides agreed after previous negotiations to work on draft texts for a potential agreement, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described "good progress" and a "clear path ahead" in earlier discussions.
The Trump administration has also stepped up economic pressure on Iran, including new Treasury sanctions targeting Iran's petroleum "shadow fleet" and missile networks, part of a broader "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at limiting Tehran's ability to fund nuclear and militant activities.
The White House has maintained that diplomacy remains the preferred path, but U.S. forces are positioned in the region as a deterrent and to provide leverage in negotiations.
Domestic and international observers are watching closely to see whether Iran will meet U.S. conditions or whether the talks will trigger fresh escalation.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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