Vice President Vance Says U.S. Position Strong in Iran Talks

Vice President JD Vance said during a Friday interview on the HBO program "Real Time with Bill Maher" that the United States benefits whether or not Iran signs a final agreement to end the conflict. "If we don't make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed, they're still much weaker as a country," Vance said.

" Vance described the administration's negotiating position as offering Iran an opportunity to change its relationship with the West. He added that if Iranian officials are unwilling to change, the United States still holds the stronger position.

Vance said he traveled to Switzerland last weekend for talks with Iranian representatives. The meetings were mediated by officials from Pakistan and Qatar and took place at a resort near Stansstad. He stated that the goal was to transform the relationship with Iran and that the United States would respond to changes in Iranian behavior with corresponding changes.

Trump said on Friday that Iran had violated a cease-fire after an Iranian drone struck the Singaporean-flagged vessel M/V Ever Lovely. The ship was reportedly warned to avoid a U.S.-approved shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces responded with strikes on Iranian drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites.

Iran later said it had struck targets linked to the United States but did not identify them. Vance posted on X that violence during the cease-fire would be met with force. He said Iran could raise concerns about the memorandum of understanding by phone rather than through attacks.