U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that in recent months, pragmatists within Iran who seek better ties with the West have been winning the internal debate, according to Israeli media. Speaking from the White House, Vance added that the U.S. expects the final agreement to prevent Iran from developing long-range missiles that threaten the entire world, while acknowledging that Iran is not giving up its claimed right to self-defense.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance delivered two linked statements Thursday evening that together frame the Trump administration's current reading of Iran's internal dynamics and its expectations for the final nuclear agreement.
Speaking from the White House, Vance said pragmatists within Iran who desire closer ties with the West have been gaining ground in the internal power struggle in recent months. The remark, reported by Israeli media, suggests Washington sees a shift in Tehran's internal political balance as nuclear talks continue. Separately, in remarks also carried by Israeli outlets, Vance said the U.S. expects the final deal to prevent Iran from developing the type of long-range missiles that threaten global security — while acknowledging Tehran has not conceded its claimed right to self-defense.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday (18:30 Jerusalem), Vance first stated that pragmatists were winning the debate. The subsequent remark on long-range missiles, delivered from the same time frame, reinforces the same messaging. The statements align with Vance's broader commentary this week: on Sunday, he said Washington would succeed in preventing a nuclear Iran even if force is required, and on Tuesday he argued the emerging agreement is good for Israel as well. The administration continues to promote a nuclear framework even as critics demand full publication of the classified text.
2 developments
- DevelopingUS VP Vance: skepticism of foreign wars does not mean never using force on Iran
- DevelopingVP Vance defends emerging US-Iran deal as 'win-win' for America
- DevelopingVP Vance: some people 'just want bombing to continue,' regardless of results for Americans
- DevelopingVP Vance: final deal must ensure Iran does not fund regional instability
Source and signal
- Internal intake