Vice President JD Vance declared Monday that the Trump administration made “significant progress” during a marathon round of negotiations with Iran in Switzerland, while stressing that any lasting agreement will depend on verification rather than trust.
Speaking to reporters before departing Switzerland aboard Air Force Two, Vance described the talks involving U.S., Iranian, Qatari and Pakistani officials as “a productive 36 hours” that produced several tangible breakthroughs.
“I feel great about the progress that we made over the last couple of days,” Vance said.
One of the most significant developments, according to the vice president, was Iran’s agreement to allow nuclear inspectors back into the country, a major objective for the administration as it seeks assurances that Tehran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
But Vance repeatedly emphasized that the administration’s approach is rooted in verification rather than diplomatic promises.
“Whether good faith or bad faith, you can’t trust anybody’s words. You have to trust what they actually do,” he said. “What the president has asked us to do is verify what they’re doing, focus less on what they’re saying.”
.@VP: "You can't trust anybody's words—you have to trust what they actually do. Letting in the inspectors is a big deal—but again, we're going to see what they actually let the inspectors do once they're in the country. That's going to continually be part of our negotiation." pic.twitter.com/LrqtkOkn8j
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2026
Vance said negotiators also worked to establish mechanisms designed to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and preserve the broader regional ceasefire, with support from key American allies, including Israel and Gulf Arab partners.
The vice president addressed questions about potentially unfreezing Iranian assets, saying any future release of funds would be tightly controlled and conditioned on continued progress at the negotiating table.
“That money is not going to be unfrozen unless we continue to see progress,” Vance said.
.@VP: "Fundamentally, that money is not going to be unfrozen unless we continue to see progress, and that will obviously be a big part of the negotiation in the days to come." https://t.co/ajXECmTXb5 pic.twitter.com/huXYgHEsPk
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2026
He added that any approved expenditures would be subject to oversight and linked to specific purposes rather than providing Tehran unrestricted access to cash.
Vance also brushed aside speculation that the talks were in jeopardy after reports circulated on social media that an Iranian official had stormed out of discussions.
“There was this social media firestorm where everybody said the Iranians are going to leave. And then we proceeded to talk to them for like the next nine hours,” he said.
The vice president urged reporters and observers to be cautious about relying on claims circulating on Iranian social media during sensitive diplomatic negotiations.
Despite his optimistic tone, Vance acknowledged that negotiators still have substantial work ahead before a comprehensive agreement can be finalized.
“This is laying a foundation for what could be a truly transformed Middle East,” he said. “But we haven’t built a house yet.”
.@VP on the "very productive 36 hours" in Switzerland: "Number one, we set up the mechanism to ensure not only the Straits of Hormuz are open, but will stay open… Number two, we actually set up the right mechanism to ensure the regional ceasefire… we have the Iranians… pic.twitter.com/AkPrmEdteP
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2026
