US-Iran Talks Delayed Amid Escalating Israel-Hezbollah Conflict

The meeting between Vance and Iranian officials, originally expected to begin Friday, was temporarily delayed after an escalation of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. On Saturday, Iran again closed transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which had been reopened last week as part of the U.S-Iran ceasefire agreement.

In a Fox News interview on Sunday, Trump threatened to “take over” the strait and will “blow the shit out of” Iran if needed.

Vance said “additional progress has been made” in Lebanon since both he and Iranian officials opted not to travel to Switzerland for talks on Thursday and projected confidence that the U.S. and Israel could achieve a lasting peace in Lebanon despite “disagreements” over strategy. Hezbollah, which has launched missile strikes against Israel, has long been supported by Iran.

Lebanon is expected to be among the topics discussed between Vance and Iran’s lead negotiator, parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

“The president has committed us to see a full regional ceasefire. We’ve found great partners in working with the Qataris, the Pakistanis, our friends in Israel,” Vance said. “We’re all working toward regional peace. There, of course, are going to be sometimes disagreements about precisely how to get there, but I actually feel great about where we are in Lebanon.”

Trump struck a different tone on Lebanon later Sunday morning. The president told Fox News he’s considering empowering Syria to join the fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, adding that he’s “disappointed Israel can’t put Hezbollah away.”

In a social media post, he urged Iran to “stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon,” threatening to “hit Iran very hard again” if Hezbollah continues fighting Israel.

Vance reiterated the importance of a critical sticking point in negotiations thus far: The U.S. demand for Iran to be prohibited from building a nuclear weapon. The agreement signed by Trump last week would allow Iran to use its nuclear program for civilian purposes.

“If your leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability, if they are willing to give up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country,” Vance said. “That is certainly our goal.”