United States Vice President JD Vance welcomed significant progress made during the latest round of talks with Iran in Bürgenstock.
Speaking to reporters after the high-level meeting between the US and Iran, Vance said there were indications, including social media messages, suggesting the Iranian side was considering walking away from the negotiations. However, he noted that the talks stretched beyond 1 am and both sides remained engaged.
He confirmed that Iran’s technical delegation had stayed in Bürgenstock and was continuing discussions alongside American officials, signalling that negotiations remained on track despite earlier tensions.
Vance said the US had made it clear that public rhetoric and hostile exchanges could trigger a response from US leadership, adding that while there had been some threats and complaints during the discussions, the talks ultimately moved forward and achieved substantial progress.
According to the US vice president, negotiators succeeded in building what he described as a strong foundation for reaching a final agreement with Iran in the coming weeks.
Addressing the issue of Iran’s frozen overseas assets, Vance said the US was working to establish safeguards to ensure any future release of Iranian funds would directly benefit ordinary Iranian citizens rather than being diverted toward activities linked to terrorism.
He revealed that Jared Kushner had proposed a mechanism in coordination with Qatar under which any unfrozen Iranian assets would require approval from both Washington and Doha. Under the proposed arrangement, those funds would reportedly be used to purchase American agricultural products, including corn and wheat, intended to support the Iranian population.
Vance also announced that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency are expected to return to Iran to monitor compliance with the preliminary agreement reached during the talks.
He said the ultimate goal remains securing a permanent and comprehensive settlement, but stressed that the latest negotiations had delivered encouraging progress that should be viewed positively.
The US vice president further disclosed that he attempted to contact UN nuclear inspectors at around 2 am to inform them of the latest developments, but joked that no one answered because most people were understandably asleep at that hour.
He added that discussions with inspectors and the IAEA are expected to begin soon, potentially within days, with some engagement possibly taking place as early as today.
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