Vice President JD Vance flew to Switzerland on Saturday to lead a high-level U.S. delegation for technical negotiations with Iran, even as the status of the Strait of Hormuz remained in dispute between Washington and Tehran.
The talks, initially set for Friday, were postponed after an escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon threatened to derail the fragile U.S.-Iranian ceasefire. Vance is joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, who have been on the ground in Europe for hours handling preliminary technical details.
Speaking on Fox News Saturday morning, Vance said Witkoff and Kushner were "dealing with some of the technical elements" and that "things are going well." The delegation aims to finalize an interim ceasefire deal that would permanently halt hostilities, reopen the strategic waterway, and launch nuclear negotiations.
The 14-point memorandum of understanding signed electronically earlier this week extends the ceasefire by 60 days and sets a framework for broader talks on Iran's nuclear program and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. However, the agreement's viability is under strain as both sides offer conflicting accounts of whether the Strait of Hormuz is fully open to commercial shipping.
The U.S. insists the strait is open, but Iran's top military command declared on Saturday that it was once again closed. This dispute echoes earlier tensions, including when Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz, blaming Israel for violating a Lebanon ceasefire. The reopening under the Trump-Iran deal has been touted by the administration, but tensions linger on the water.
The developments come amid a deepening political rift within the GOP over the Iran deal. Vance faces GOP backlash over the Iran deal, with some party members criticizing the administration's approach. The vice president has defended the memorandum, warning Israel not to attack Trump, whom he called their "only powerful ally."
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders have slammed the deal. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called it "Art of the Surrender," while GOP Representative Fine blasted Vance's remarks on Israel as "disgusting." The White House has not commented on the latest Strait of Hormuz dispute.
This story is developing.
