Vance: Talks with Iran Have Laid Foundation for Permanent Peace Deal

US Vice President JD Vance said Monday that peace talks with Iran have created a "good foundation for a successful permanent agreement" to end the war that began in late February. Vance compared the process to building a house, emphasizing that the foundation has been laid but the house is not yet built.

The talks involved delegations led by Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Kalibaf, taking place in Switzerland with Pakistan and Qatar as mediators. They began Sunday and concluded early Monday. Although the negotiations were complex, the parties reached agreements on several issues.

Vance indicated that the US administration could release frozen Iranian assets to purchase US soybeans, corn, and wheat. This idea was proposed by President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who leads the US delegation, together with Qatari officials. Vance explained that Qatar would confirm the process, and the Iranian funds, once sanctions are lifted, would be used to buy American agricultural products for the Iranian people.

Mediators Pakistan and Qatar issued a joint statement saying that while high-level talks have concluded, technical discussions will continue in Switzerland this week. The mediators praised the "inspiring progress" achieved during the talks. A senior US diplomat noted progress on several fronts, including mechanisms to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open and the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon holds.

Iranian state television reported Monday that the Iranian delegation had left the summit venue for Zurich Airport to fly back to Tehran. Trump did not attend the talks in Switzerland.

Before the talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that Iran would never give up its right to enrich uranium. Trump warned Pezeshkian in a Fox News phone interview Sunday to be careful with his words and threatened to take over Iran. Trump also issued warnings on social media, demanding Iran immediately stop supporting Hezbollah, threatening stronger strikes than last week.

It is unclear when Vance will leave Switzerland. Trump's envoys Kushner and Steve Witkoff continue technical talks on behalf of the US delegation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that mediators had made "significant progress" in ending the Lebanon war, but noted that the first real test would be whether the mechanism can stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Last week, US and Iranian leaders signed a provisional agreement to end fighting in Iran, setting a 60-day period for talks on the future of Tehran's nuclear program amid concerns it could be used for military purposes, which Iran denies. The agenda also includes the fate of frozen Iranian assets and other complex issues. Iran insists that fighting in Lebanon must end first.

The ceasefire in Lebanon, renewed Saturday, appears to be holding, and the Israeli army announced Monday morning it would lift movement restrictions for residents near the Israel-Lebanon border. Neither Israel nor Hezbollah are signatories to the US-Iran agreement.