Vance defends Iran strategy amid peace negotiations: ‘America wins either way’
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Vice President Vance stood by the administration’s Iran strategy Friday, saying the U.S. will come out on top regardless of whether peace negotiations with Tehran produce a deal.
“If we make the final deal, then great. If we don’t make the deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed. They’re still much weaker as a country,” Vance told comedian Bill Maher,
He added, “So my attitude is, America wins either way.”
His comments come amid a fresh exchange of strikes between the U.S. military and Iran, which threatens to derail the ongoing talks over the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) and a fragile ceasefire already in place.
On Friday, the U.S. military struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites, as well as coastal radar locations in response to an Iranian attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Hours later, Iran launched retaliatory drone strikes against Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Maher pressed Vance on whether the most recent talks with the Islamic Republic to bring an end to the nearly four-month-long war were different from prior failed diplomatic efforts.
The vice president pointed to decreasing oil prices and the renewed flow of shipping through the strait, which carries roughly a fifth of the global oil supply, as evidence that the administration’s current approach is working.
“If you look at oil right now, it’s back down to $73 a barrel, got up to $126 a barrel,” he said. “So, there’s a signal that there’s something real going on here.”
Vance said the MOU, signed by Trump and the regime, centers on keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for maritime shipping and allowing oil to flow while maintaining a ceasefire.
But, he conceded, the ceasefire “is always going to be a little messy when you’re dealing with the Iranians.”
The latest tit-for-tat strikes also raise questions about the durability of the temporary deal, which established a 60-day truce and looks to bring an end to hostilities and reopen talks on the Middle East nation’s nuclear program.
Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Obama-era nuclear deal, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in 2018 during his first term.
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Read the full story at The Guardian ↗ · The Hill ↗
Vice President Vance outlined the administration's position on ongoing negotiations with Iran, stating that U.S. interests are secured regardless of negotiation outcomes. The comments came during continued military escalation: the U.S. conducted strikes on Iranian military infrastructure Friday, followed by Iranian drone strikes on Bahrain. A 60-day ceasefire agreement, formalized through a 14-point memorandum, remains in place while talks continue on Iran's nuclear program. Vance pointed to recent commodity price movements and shipping activity as indicators of the strategy's effectiveness. He acknowledged that maintaining the ceasefire presents ongoing challenges.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗ · The Hill ↗
Skip to content
Vice President Vance stood by the administration’s Iran strategy Friday, saying the U.S. will come out on top regardless of whether peace negotiations with Tehran produce a deal.
“If we make the final deal, then great. If we don’t make the deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed. They’re still much weaker as a country,” Vance told comedian Bill Maher,
He added, “So my attitude is, America wins either way.”
His comments come amid a fresh exchange of strikes between the U.S. military and Iran, which threatens to derail the ongoing talks over the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) and a fragile ceasefire already in place.
On Friday, the U.S. military struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites, as well as coastal radar locations in response to an Iranian attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Hours later, Iran launched retaliatory drone strikes against Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Maher pressed Vance on whether the most recent talks with the Islamic Republic to bring an end to the nearly four-month-long war were different from prior failed diplomatic efforts.
The vice president pointed to decreasing oil prices and the renewed flow of shipping through the strait, which carries roughly a fifth of the global oil supply, as evidence that the administration’s current approach is working.
“If you look at oil right now, it’s back down to $73 a barrel, got up to $126 a barrel,” he said. “So, there’s a signal that there’s something real going on here.”
Vance said the MOU, signed by Trump and the regime, centers on keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for maritime shipping and allowing oil to flow while maintaining a ceasefire.
But, he conceded, the ceasefire “is always going to be a little messy when you’re dealing with the Iranians.”
The latest tit-for-tat strikes also raise questions about the durability of the temporary deal, which established a 60-day truce and looks to bring an end to hostilities and reopen talks on the Middle East nation’s nuclear program.
Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Obama-era nuclear deal, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in 2018 during his first term.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗ · The Hill ↗
Vice President Vance defended the administration's Iran strategy in remarks Friday Vance stated the U.S. will achieve favorable outcomes whether peace negotiations succeed or fail The U.S. military struck Iranian missile, drone storage sites, and coastal radar locations in response to an Iranian attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz Iran subsequently launched retaliatory drone strikes against Bahrain A 14-point memorandum of understanding was signed by Trump and Iran The MOU centers on keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and maintaining a ceasefire Oil prices falling from $126 to $73 per barrel signal something real is occurring in negotiations A 60-day truce was established under the agreement The ceasefire will be messy when dealing with Iranians The Trump administration withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal in 2018
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗ · The Hill ↗
- VP Vance stated the U.S. will achieve favorable outcomes whether Iran peace negotiations succeed or fail
- Recent military exchanges occurred: U.S. struck Iranian missile and drone sites; Iran responded with drone strikes on Bahrain
- Vance cited falling oil prices ($126 to $73 per barrel) and renewed Strait of Hormuz shipping as evidence the strategy is working
- A 14-point memorandum signed by Trump and Iran established a 60-day ceasefire focused on keeping shipping lanes open
- Ongoing talks aim to address Iran's nuclear program after the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018