The Truth Behind the Breakdown of U.S.-Iran Talks: Was the Iranian Representative Without Authority to Decide? Was Vance Deliberately Misleading Public Opinion?

【Why Didn't the Iranians Call Tehran During the U.S.-Iran Negotiations?】 When interviewed by Fox Television (a favorite of former President Trump), Vance complained about the Iranian delegation in Pakistan, stating they "lacked the authority to finalize the agreement and needed approval from higher-level leadership."

Vance said: "This was ultimately why we left Pakistan—we realized they were powerless. Their team couldn’t reach an agreement and had to return to Tehran to seek actual approval from the Supreme Leader or someone even higher."

"I reiterate again: regardless of whether we proceed with further talks, or whether we ultimately reach an agreement, I believe the ball is now in Iran’s court. We’ve already laid out much of what we’re willing to offer. We’ve made our bottom line extremely clear."

Vance placed full blame for the breakdown on Iran’s side.

The truth, however, is quite different from what he claimed.

The lead Iranian negotiator was Speaker KaliBaf, who was fully authorized to participate in negotiations and possessed the authority to make decisions on the spot.

Vance deliberately downplayed KaliBaf’s authorization—an action with profound implications.

During the negotiations, Vance could freely call President Trump six or seven times, seeking guidance without hesitation.

But KaliBaf couldn’t do that—because if he called Mojtaba or senior Revolutionary Guard officials, their location would be instantly exposed. By the time the phone call ended, Israeli missiles might already be closing in.

The Iranian delegation did not make a single phone call throughout the entire negotiation process.

This is a simple truth that Vance clearly understood—but he deliberately shifted the narrative to claim the Iranian team “lacked authority” and therefore “wasn’t fit to negotiate.”

Iran sent its Speaker as head of the delegation precisely to enable immediate decision-making, avoiding the need for real-time consultations back in Tehran.

Ultimately, Vance failed to secure the Strait access or the so-called nuclear restrictions he wanted at the negotiating table. Faced with this reality, he resorted only to the “art of the deal,” constantly searching for opportunities to push forward.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862419318634508/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.