As US and Iranian negotiators began “technical talks” in Switzerland on the details that will underpin the interim peace deal signed last week, Vice President JD Vance said this was an opportunity “to turn over a new leaf” with Iran.
“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” he told journalists as talks got underway.
Of course the background noise from home could not be ignored with President Trump threatening that “We may take over the Strait if we have to”, and “If they don’t make a deal, we’ll collect tolls.”
But Vance remained positive saying “Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently, or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but is certainly very much something that can happen.”
“It’s going to be something we’re just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure. That’s fundamentally the goal of this, to make the whole region safe and secure,” he said.
Iran which has sent parliament speaker Ghalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Aragchi, want the talks to focus on ending the fighting in Lebanon where its proxy Hezbollah is under fierce attack by Israel.
But Iran is also cautious about the talks given how they have been burnt in the past by the US. That includes massive military strikes even as talks were on.
“The implementation of any document is more important than its signing,” Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying.
President Pezekshian made it clear Iran would not compromise on its nuclear programme, which Tehran insists, was only for peaceful purposes.
“What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,” President Pezekshian was quoted by Iranian state media as saying on Sunday.
A ceasefire brokered on Saturday appeared to be holding and Iran’s declaration that it had shut the Strait of Hormuz over the Israeli strikes did not seem to have stopped the flow of shipping through that narrow waterway.
The negotiators have 60 days to iron out their differences and put them down in cold print for the approval of their respective leaders.
