US Vice President JD Vance revealed on Sunday evening that the Iranian delegation refused a joint photograph with the American team in a 'last minute' move, according to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS). The disclosure comes after Iran's Tasnim news agency reported earlier Sunday that the delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, declined to enter the talks room as long as the press conference continued.
VP Vance confirmed at 18:47 Jerusalem on Sunday that the Iranian delegation refused a joint photo as a 'last minute' humiliation during the nuclear talks in Switzerland, according to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS). The admission escalates the diplomatic friction reported throughout the day, moving the story from a state-media claim to a direct on-record acknowledgement by the Trump administration.
The thread began at Sun 16:48 Jerusalem, when multiple outlets reported that Parliament Speaker Qalibaf had refused to enter the room as long as the press conference continued. The reports evolved: the first version (i24NEWS) focused on Qalibaf alone, a second version (Abu Ali Express) expanded the refusal to the entire delegation refusing both handshake and photo, and a third (Tasnim) confirmed the delegation's refusal for a group photo. Vance's on-record statement now provides an American official's attribution for the first time.
As The Zioneer reported on Sun 15:49 Jerusalem, a photo had surfaced of Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi in the same room in Switzerland, an unprecedented visual proximity. On Thu Jun 18, Iran's Khorasan daily had warned pre-emptively that US officials would avoid joint photos, reflecting domestic media concerns over the image aspect. Vance has previously rebutted 'false information' about financial terms (Jun 12), showing the administration's sensitivity to leaked details.
What remains open is whether the refusal was a spontaneous snub or a premeditated posture; the Iranian side has not issued an official explanation, and the US characterization contradicts Tasnim's framing as a matter of protocol. No further public response from the Iranian delegation has been reported as of 18:47 Jerusalem.
6 developments
- DevelopingIranian Khorasan daily warns US officials will avoid joint photos with Iranian counterparts in Geneva
- StrongIran rejects Qatari proposal for trilateral meeting with US
- DevelopingSource: Iran refuses to meet IAEA chief Grossi at Switzerland talks
- DevelopingIran sent no new proposal to the US, source close to Iranian negotiating team says
Source and signal
- Internal intake