JD Vance Says ‘America Wins Either Way’ Even If Iran Rejects Final Deal | Today’s news
US Vice President JD Vance said the United States would be stronger regardless of whether Iran agreed to a final deal, saying Tehran’s nuclear capabilities had already been severely weakened.
Vance said that the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program meant that Washington had already achieved its main objective.
“If we don’t make a final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed, they’re still much weaker as a country,” Vance said Friday on “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
“So my position is that America wins either way.
“Opportunity to change relationships”
Vance said Donald Trump had tasked US negotiators to seek a broader diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran.
“The president has asked us to do something that, frankly, no one has done in 47 years of dealing with the Iranians, which is to offer them an opportunity to fundamentally change how they behave toward the West,” Vance said.
He added that the US remains open to improving relations if Iran changes its policies.
“If they’re willing to change, we’re willing to change.”
“Unless they’re willing to change, we still pretty much hold all the cards. I think it’s a good place for us to be.”
He called on Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions
Vance said the Trump administration’s goal was to fundamentally reshape relations with Iran if its leadership abandoned regional destabilization and long-term nuclear ambitions.
“The president asked us to turn over a new leaf to change our relationship with the Iranian people.”
“If they’re willing to give up being a driver of regional instability … if they’re willing to give up long-term nuclear ambitions, then the United States is willing to fundamentally change our relationship with this country. That’s certainly our goal.”
The vice president traveled to Switzerland last weekend for high-level talks with Iranian officials, brokered by Pakistani and Qatari officials. The talks were part of the first round of negotiations under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian aimed at ending hostilities and opening talks on Tehran’s nuclear program.
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American strikes after the incident in the Strait of Hormuz
Hours before Vance’s interview aired, Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire after an Iranian drone struck the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz.
After the incident, the United States Central Command said that US forces carried out retaliatory strikes targeting Iranian drone storage facilities and coastal radar stations.
CENTCOM described the operation as a “strong response” and said the attack on commercial shipping violated the ceasefire agreement and threatened freedom of navigation along one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
Trump warns Iran of consequences
Trump condemned the drone attack on the commercial vessel, calling it a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has fired at least four one-way attack drones at ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“One of the drones hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive cargo ship hard. Damage was done, but the ship was able to continue its journey.”
He added that US forces intercepted three other drones.
“We shot down three more drones. This is clearly a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.”
Asked later if Iran would suffer the consequences, Trump said: “You’ll find out.”
He added: “I don’t like that yesterday they shot… at a ship. Not at an Allied ship, but at a ship – a very expensive ship. They shouldn’t do that.”
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