【Vance Exposed to Serve as Top U.S. Representative in Talks with Iran; Trump Orders Progress Reports】
U.S. media reports indicate that Vice President Vance is preparing for what may be the most significant assignment of his career: leading the effort to end a war he initially approached with reservations. The stakes are high: Vance has already held multiple phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the war, met with Gulf allies on the issue, and participated in indirect communications with Iran. He is expected to serve as the lead U.S. negotiator in potential peace talks.
According to U.S. and Israeli sources, Vance remains highly skeptical of Israel’s pre-war optimism regarding the course of the conflict, and now anticipates the war will continue for several more weeks. Vance’s advisers believe some figures within Israel are attempting to undermine the vice president’s influence, possibly due to perceptions that he is not tough enough. Israeli officials have denied these allegations.
On Thursday, during a cabinet meeting, President Trump formally clarified Vance’s responsibilities, instructing the vice president to report on the latest developments concerning Iran and noting that he is collaborating with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on negotiations.
Delving deeper, White House officials say Vance’s senior standing within the administration, combined with his well-documented opposition to endless overseas conflicts, makes him more appealing to Iran than previous negotiators such as Witkoff and Kushner, who led two unsuccessful rounds of talks. For these reasons, Witkoff recommended Vance as chief negotiator. “If the Iranians can’t reach an agreement with Vance, they won’t get one at all,” said one senior government official. “He’s their best possible option.”
According to a White House official, Vance is ready to “step into the spotlight”—but only if direct negotiations begin. On the current front, Trump extended the deadline for talks with Iran on Thursday, while mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey continue efforts to organize face-to-face meetings. Iranian officials told mediators they are still awaiting the green light from their “highest leadership.”
If such a summit proceeds, Vance could find himself seated across from Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf. Meanwhile, the government is also considering a major military escalation should diplomacy fail.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860870950414345/
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