'The ball is very much in Tehran's court': JD Vance on Iran’s next move after peace talks in Pakistan fail

JD Vance said Iran will determine the next phase of the Middle East conflict, while pushing back on claims that recent peace talks in Pakistan failed. Speaking to Fox News, Vance described the negotiations as productive despite no final agreement being reached. "The ball is very much in their court,” he said. “You ask what happens next, I think the Iranians are going to determine what happens next.”

He noted that discussions clarified US priorities, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz. “I wouldn't just say that things went wrong. I also think things went right. We made a lot of progress,” he said. Vance added, “They moved in our direction, which is why I think we would say that we had some good signs, but they didn't move far enough.” According to Vance, talks ended because Iranian negotiators lacked the authority to finalize a deal. “We acquired some knowledge about how the Iranians are negotiating, and this is ultimately why we left Pakistan,” he said.

“What we figured out is that they were unable, I think, the team that was there was unable to cut a deal,” he explained. “They had to go back to Tehran, either from the supreme leader or somebody else, and actually get approval for the terms that we had set.” Meanwhile, Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade on Iranian ports after tensions escalated over access to the Strait of Hormuz.

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“What they [Iranians] have done is engage in this act of economic terrorism against the entire world. They’ve basically threatened any ship that's moving through the Straits of Hormuz. Well, as the President of the United States showed, two can play at that game,” Vance said. US naval forces are now monitoring Iran-linked vessels in the region. Vance emphasized that reopening the strait remains a key expectation. “We've stopped bombing the country. What we expect the Iranians to give up is a full reopening of the Straits of Hormuz,” he said.

He described the blockade as adding economic pressure. “If the Iranians are gonna try to engage in economic terrorism, we're gonna abide by a simple principle that no Iranian ships are getting out either,” Vance said. “We know that's a big deal to them. We know it applies additional economic leverage.” Despite tensions, Vance asserted US strength. “We have the military advantage,” he said. “We now have additional economic pressure that we're applying on them through the blockade that we've imposed on their oil coming out of the Straits of Hormuz.”

“We have a lot of cards. We have the leverage, and we're going to see what the Iranians do with that,” he continued.

Addressing speculation about internal disagreements, Vance said, “I give my advice to the President of the United States, and we all do. And I expect that when I advise the President of the United States, that it's going to be private because the president should rely on his senior advisors without them running to the media.” “What I will say is that I 100% agree with the president on the fact that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon.”

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