United States Vice President JD Vance said during a briefing at the White House that Iran appears willing to negotiate a nuclear agreement with Washington, but cautioned that the United States remains uncertain about Tehran's true intentions until a formal deal is signed.
Speaking on the ongoing negotiations, Vance said the Trump administration is engaging in talks “in good faith” and believes Iran understands that developing a nuclear weapon remains a non-negotiable red line for the United States.
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Vance delivered a stark warning regarding the United States' ongoing high-stakes negotiations with Iran, declaring that a nuclear-armed Tehran remains an absolute "red line" for the Trump administration.
"What I think is that the Iranians want to make a deal. Iranians recognize that a nuclear weapon is the red line for the United States of America," Vance said.
However, he warned against assuming that an agreement is imminent, adding that the US would only know Iran's real position “when we're actually putting pen to paper on signing a deal.”
“I can't say with confidence because I don't know what's in the mind of the other side,” he asserted, according to media reports.
Vance also reiterated that President Donald Trump is prepared to take stronger action if diplomatic efforts fail. He said Trump had conveyed that while the US is pursuing a peaceful resolution, it remains “locked and loaded” and ready to use military force if necessary.
According to Vance, internal divisions within Iran's leadership may also be complicating the negotiation process.
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“Maybe the Iranians aren't quite clear on what direction they want to go. They are also just a fractured country,” he remarked.
Highlighting the broader global implications, Vance warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could trigger worldwide nuclear proliferation.
“Iran would really be the first domino in what would set off a nuclear arms race all over the world. That's very, very bad for the safety of our country,” he said, according to media reports.
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