US Delegation Lacked Decision-Making Authority in Iran Talks, Tehran Negotiator Says
Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi says VP Vance was 'constantly on the phone' during 21-hour Islamabad negotiations
Quick Look
- A member of Tehran's negotiating team says US Vice President J.D.
- Vance lacked authority during April 11-12 nuclear talks in Islamabad, constantly making calls including to Netanyahu.
- The 21-hour negotiations ended without agreement, and the US subsequently imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
AI-generated summary
The US delegation headed by Vice President J.D. Vance lacked decision-making authority during talks with Iran earlier this month, Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi, who was part of Tehran's negotiating team, has told RT's Sanchez Effect.
Speaking with host Rick Sanchez on Monday, Marandi shared his observations of the April 11-12 negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan. "Americans did not have the authority in negotiations. Vance did not have the authority to make decisions," Marandi said. "He was constantly on the phone, making a dozen calls, including apparently to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu."
"A person who keeps making calls like that at the negotiating table obviously does not have the authority to decide," he added.
The US delegation included Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and presidential adviser Jared Kushner – who is Donald Trump's son-in-law. The Iranian side was led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The 21-hour talks ended without agreement on Iran's nuclear program or the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports shortly afterward, and further negotiations have since stalled.
Marandi argued that Washington's failure to reach a compromise stems in part from Trump being poorly informed and influenced by a Zionist lobby. "He is deeply compromised; some of his decisions defy logic… The leaders in Washington believe their own propaganda," he said.
Marandi suggested that other countries, including Russia, could step in to mediate. On Monday, Araghchi traveled to St. Petersburg to meet President Vladimir Putin as part of a regional tour to coordinate with allies amid the standoff with Washington and West Jerusalem.
