US Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed on Tuesday that negotiations between Washington and Tehran had collapsed after Iran refused to meet American demands. Vance stated in an interview that the US delegation would return home without an agreement, calling the outcome inevitable given Iran’s refusal to soften its position.
The talks in Geneva had aimed to address Iran’s nuclear program and regional influence, but Vance described the discussions as deadlocked from the start. He pointed to Iran’s insistence on lifting sanctions without significant concessions on its ballistic missile program or support for proxies in the Middle East. The US team, led by Vance, had proposed phased sanctions relief in exchange for verifiable limits on Iran’s nuclear activities.
Vance criticized Iran’s negotiating stance, saying Tehran sought immediate economic relief while offering nothing in return. He cited recent missile tests by Iran as evidence of its unwillingness to compromise. The failure of the talks follows months of indirect diplomacy through European intermediaries, which also stalled after Iran rejected compromise proposals.
The collapse of negotiations comes as the US prepares for a broader review of its Iran policy. Vance hinted that further pressure, including additional sanctions, may follow. Iran’s foreign ministry has yet to comment publicly on Vance’s remarks, but state media in Tehran have previously accused the US of imposing unrealistic demands.
The Geneva talks were the first high-level direct engagement between the two sides since the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. Analysts say the failure leaves both countries with fewer options short of escalation.
Source: e24.no