JD Vance's Switzerland visit delayed as technical talks await finalisation: White House spokesperson
Washington DC, June 19
A White House spokesperson on Thursday said that US Vice President JD Vance will not depart for Switzerland for further talks as the plans for the talks have not been finalised.
The spokesperson said that a delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity.
"As the Vice President said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalised, and the US delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity. But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable," the spokesperson said.
"As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight. We will let you know as soon as we have a concrete update about next steps. We look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible," they added.
While speaking at a press briefing earlier in the day, Vance said that 12.5 million barrels of oil went through the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Iranian presidents signed a peace plan aiming to end the war.
"The president's peace plan in Iran is already bearing real fruits for the American people. Last night, 12.5 million barrels of oil went through the Strait of Hormuz. That is a high since the beginning of the conflict. Oil prices are down nearly at their level from the pre-war conflict. Gas prices dropped below $4 a gallon today for the first time since the conflict. And importantly, they're going to keep falling further given how low oil prices are."
Vance said that the US will not send a single penny to the Iranians as part of the MoU. He added that if Iran were to benefit in any way would be after "fully complying and changing their behaviour'.
"The part of the peace plan, the part of this MoU that I think has been most misrepresented by certain parts of the media, is the idea that the Iranians get all these benefits. You will hear things about $300 billion or $24 billion or this or that number of money or amount of money. The simple fact is that the only way the Iranians get any of those resources--not a single penny, by the way, from the United States of America under any circumstances--but the only way that they would ever get any benefit of the bargain is if they comply fully and change their behaviour," the US vice president said.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, while speaking to the press at a Medal of Honour Ceremony, said that the stock markets were at an all-time high following the peace deal.
"I just want to say, though, the stock market just hit a new all-time high. Oil is dropping like a rock. Other than that, it's another day in paradise. I have no higher privilege than serving as the Commander in Chief of the US Armed Forces. I'm so proud of them. A 250-year tradition of the bravest and greatest heroes ever to walk the earth," he said.
The United States and Iran were set to hold their initial round of talks following the ceasefire agreement, which was signed on Wednesday (June 17) virtually by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing the Swiss government.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Look, I'm not saying the US-Iran peace plan is bad, but this delay is concerning. Remember how many false starts they had before the Afghan withdrawal? At least Vance is being somewhat transparent about the logistics not being finalised. The key question for India is whether this stabilises energy prices long-term. Our dollar outflows for oil have been brutal. Let's hope the actual talks happen soon, not just photo ops.
Interesting that Vance is emphasising no US money going to Iran. But the real question is - what does Iran get from the MoU? If they're supposed to "comply fully" first, that sounds like a recipe for deadlock. Middle East peace is good for the world, but from India's perspective, we need to see if this reduces the risk of another tanker attack near our shores. The Strait of Hormuz maritime security is non-negotiable for us.
"12.5 million barrels through the Strait of Hormuz" - Vance is trying to sell this as a win, but oil prices dropping before gas prices hit consumers? That's not how it works in India, bhai. We pay taxes, we pay transport costs, we pay everything. Trump's "paradise" comment is tone-deaf when millions in India are still struggling with high fuel inflation. But in sha' Allah, if peace actually happens, it's good for everyone.
As someone who follows US political theatre closely, this is textbook Vance. He talks a big game about "technical talks" and "behaviour change" but can't even get a flight organised? The peace plan sounds like a win for Trump's election narrative more than actual diplomacy. India should take notes - don't base your energy security on US-Iran promises that might fizzle out by next news cycle.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.