Vice President JD Vance asserted that the United States emerges victorious in its dealings with Iran, irrespective of whether a final agreement is reached concerning the ongoing conflict. During an appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher" on Friday, Vance explained that if a deal is not finalized, Iran's nuclear program will remain dismantled, and the nation will consequently be weaker.
"So my attitude is America wins either way," Vance said. He noted that President Trump had presented U.S. negotiators with a unique objective: to offer Iran an opportunity to fundamentally alter its engagement with the West, a feat that had eluded previous administrations over 47 years.
"If they’re willing to change, we’re willing to change, too," Vance stated. "If they’re not willing to change, we still fundamentally have all the cards. I think it’s a good place for us to be."
Last weekend, the vice president traveled to Switzerland for crucial meetings with Iranian representatives, facilitated by Pakistani and Qatari officials. Vance described the U.S. goal in these face-to-face discussions as an effort to "transform our relationship" with Iran, aiming to extend an offer of improved ties if Tehran's leadership renounced regional instability and long-term nuclear ambitions.
These talks, held at the Buergenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, marked the first round under a mutually agreed memorandum of understanding between President Trump and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian. The MOU was intended to halt hostilities and initiate 60 days of negotiations for a comprehensive deal to address Iran's nuclear program.
However, the situation escalated on Friday when Trump announced that Iran had violated the cease-fire. This claim followed an Iranian drone strike on the Singaporean-flagged ship M/V Ever Lovely. The incident occurred after Iran had issued warnings for vessels to disregard a U.S.-designated shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, advising ships instead to use passages of their choosing. In response to what the administration deemed a "foolish violation," U.S. forces conducted strikes targeting Iranian drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites.
On Saturday, Iran reported striking targets linked to the U.S. in retaliation for Friday's strikes, though the specific targets were not identified, according to Reuters. Vance issued a public warning on X, stating that "violence will be met with violence" if Iran engaged in hostile acts during the cease-fire, emphasizing that communication channels remain open for addressing disagreements regarding the MOU's application.