US-Iran Talks: US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday claimed “great progress" had been made in the high-level talks with Iran for the first time in ten weeks in the Swiss mountain resort of Bürgenstock.
Addressing the media alongside Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani after the US-Iran talks, Vance said President Donald Trump empowered all sides to find a diplomatic solution to a host of issues.
Vance said the US was willing to “fundamentally transform" its relations with Iran if the latter is willing to “give up being a driver of regional instability" and give up nuclear weapon ambitions for the long term.
“We’ve already made great progress over just the last few hours, and I expect that we will make additional progress in the hours to come," he added. He also said the two countries now see a future where “everyone can work together to promote peace and prosperity."
Speaking on the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, Vance said Trump was committed to a full regional ceasefire, adding that there were bound to be disagreements in such matters. “It’s about precisely how to get there, but I actually feel great about where we are in Lebanon," he asserted.
The preliminary agreement had called for an end to the Israeli campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, a key Iranian demand. However, continued strikes in Lebanon threatened to derail the peace progress, highlighting differences between the United States and Israel.
Vance further said the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the end of Iran’s nuclear programme had already been accomplished. “The question is now how much more we can accomplish together. 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, but certainly a thing that can happen," he said.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Prime Minister thanked both the US and Iranian delegations for their efforts to make peace in West Asia. “I think that every one of you has highlighted how important and historic this is, not only on the security of the region but also for the security of the world and for the global economy," he said.
The negotiations were originally scheduled to begin on Friday but were postponed after Iranian officials pulled out amid intensifying clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon
Source: News18