U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, that Washington and Tehran have made “a lot of progress” in their talks and that neither side wishes to resume the war.
Vance said, “We think we’ve made a lot of progress. We believe the officials in Tehran also want to reach an agreement.”
While emphasizing that the United States possesses the capability to resume military operations, he added: “This is not what Trump or Iran wants.” The U.S. Vice President also remarked: “I think the Islamic Republic wants to make a deal, but until the agreement is signed, we won’t know for sure.”
Vance, who was conducting the daily press briefing in the absence of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, stated that the Trump administration continues to work toward achieving an agreement to end the war. However, he simultaneously pointed to “factions and rifts” among Islamic Republic officials as an obstacle to clarity in the negotiation process.
“The Iranians themselves are not exactly sure what path they want to take. They are currently a fragmented and deeply divided country,” he said.
