Vice President JD Vance stated that U.S. negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program collapsed, leading to military action authorized by President Trump, as Tehran’s claims were deemed untrustworthy.
Vice President JD Vance confirmed on Monday that negotiations between U.S. officials and Iranian representatives regarding Iran’s nuclear program ultimately failed. Vance indicated that the breakdown occurred after U.S. officials concluded that Tehran’s assertions “did not pass the smell test,” which prompted President Donald Trump to authorize military action known as Operation Epic Fury.
During an appearance on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Vance detailed that U.S. envoys, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, engaged in three rounds of “deliberate” discussions in Geneva with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation. The talks aimed to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief and to prevent a broader conflict, but ultimately proved unsuccessful.
Vance recounted that the Iranian representatives would assert that their pursuit of nuclear enrichment for civilian purposes was a matter of national pride. However, he pointed out the inconsistency in their claims, questioning why Iran was constructing enrichment facilities deep underground and enriching uranium to levels far exceeding what is necessary for civilian use. “Nobody objects to the Iranians being able to build medical isotopes; the objection is these enrichment facilities that are only useful for building a nuclear weapon,” Vance clarified.
He emphasized the implausibility of Iran’s narrative, stating, “It just doesn’t pass the smell test for you to say that you want enrichment for medical isotopes, while at the same time trying to build a facility 70 to 80 feet underground.”
Vance’s comments came as Operation Epic Fury entered its third day. Launched on February 28, the operation involved coordinated precision strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces targeting Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear infrastructure.
A significant concern during the negotiations was Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, which included producing material with a purity of around 60%. While this level is below weapons-grade, it exceeds the limits established under the 2015 nuclear deal, raising international alarms about potential proliferation risks.
Vance stated, “We destroyed Iran’s ability to build a nuclear weapon during President Trump’s term. We set them back substantially.” He noted that Trump was seeking a long-term commitment from Iran to abandon any ambitions of developing nuclear weapons.
“Trump was looking for Iran to make a significant long-term commitment that they would never build a nuclear weapon, that they would not pursue the ability to be on the brink of a nuclear weapon,” Vance explained.
He further articulated Trump’s objective, saying, “He wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mindset from the Iranian regime.” Vance underscored that Trump was determined to prevent the U.S. from entering a prolonged conflict without a clear end or objective.
Vance concluded by expressing the administration’s preference for a “friendly regime in Iran, a stable country, a country that’s willing to work with the United States,” highlighting the broader strategic goals behind U.S. actions in the region.
These insights were shared during Vance’s interview, shedding light on the complexities of U.S.-Iran relations and the challenges of negotiating nuclear agreements, according to Fox News.