Vance: Ending Iran war requires "one step forward, two steps back"

Vice President JD Vance has defended the Trump administration's approach to negotiations with Iran, acknowledging that progress has been uneven while insisting the United States remains committed to securing an outcome that serves American interests.

In an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham, Vance said efforts to end the conflict have involved "one step forward, two steps back," adding that the complexity of Iran's political system has made negotiations particularly challenging.

"The Iranians are extraordinarily difficult people," Vance said. "They have a fractured system. There are people within their system that want the war to be over and also people in their system that are crazy radicals that want it to continue."

Vance, who has played a prominent role in the talks, said he was willing to accept responsibility for the administration's diplomatic efforts.

"If they want to make me own the effort to bring this war to a successful conclusion, I'm happy to do that," he said.

Despite the setbacks, Vance expressed confidence that negotiations would ultimately produce favourable results for the United States.

"I think where we'll land, it's going to be messy and take time to get there," he said. "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and the United States will be in a stronger position."

He also predicted that oil prices would decline and remain lower once the situation is resolved.

Vance said Washington would continue to use "all the tools that we have — military, economic, diplomatic" to achieve what he described as the right resolution.

Addressing speculation over divisions within the administration, Vance dismissed suggestions of any disagreement with President Donald Trump over Iran policy.

"The president makes the decisions and we all try to implement the decisions in accordance with the president's wishes," he said. "When the president of the United States makes a decision, we're unified in this administration in carrying out that mission."

By Aghakazim Guliyev