The White House said Thursday night that Vice President JD Vance has postponed a planned trip to Switzerland, where he was expected to lead a new round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program, casting fresh uncertainty over efforts to secure a tentative framework aimed at ending the conflict.
According to the White House, Vance’s team had been preparing to depart but delayed the visit, citing logistical challenges surrounding the negotiations. The announcement came shortly after Al-Mayadeen, a pan-Arab satellite channel aligned with Hezbollah, reported that Iran had also postponed sending its delegation to Switzerland amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.
Vance, who initially expressed skepticism about U.S. involvement in a war with Iran, has since emerged as a key public voice for the administration on the issue and a vocal defender of the proposed diplomatic deal.
Earlier Thursday, he took the relatively unusual step of appearing at the White House to defend the initial deal to extend the ceasefire for 60 days and allow more negotiations, arguing that while it offers concessions, Iran must first comply with U.S. demands.
“As they dial up their good behavior, we can dial up the economic relief,” Vance said. “If they dial down their good behavior, we can turn it off.”
