Vance Pressed On Whether or Not Iran is Negotiating In ‘Good Faith’ After Praising Latest Talks
Vice President JD Vance told reporters to take what the Iranians say with a massive grain of salt on Monday, but that he believed the country’s theocratic leaders were not jerking him around during the marathon negotiating session they just wrapped up.
Vance talked to reporters about the negotiations while standing in front of Air Force Two in Switzerland.
One reporter noted Vance had said previously that you have to be cautious with Iran because their leaders don’t always act in “good faith.” The reporter then asked if “things changed over the past 36 hours” that would lead him to believe they were negotiating honestly.
“No, all I mean is look, whether good faith or bad faith, you can’t trust anybody’s words, you have to trust what they actually do,” Vance said. “Letting in the inspectors is a big deal. But again, we’re seeing what they actually let the inspectors do once they’re in the country. That’s going to continually be part of our negotiations.”
Vance added, “My point is not that I trust or distrust anybody; my point is that I trust actions. And what the president has asked us to do is verify what they’re doing, focus less on what they’re saying.”
President Donald Trump has insisted that any deal with Iran will bar the country from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Vance earlier in the day said the U.S. made “major” progress towards a lasting deal with Iran during the weekend summit.
“This is probably what we’re most excited about as Americans,” Vance said. “The Iranians have agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into their country. That is a major milestone for the American people, and the first step in permanently denuclearizing or permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran. And that’s exactly what we wanted to do. That’s exactly what we asked to happen.”
He later told reporters the Iranians can be “extremely confusing” when it comes to negotiating, but that he believed “good progress” was made.
Watch above via Fox News.
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