Heading to Iran talks, Vance says hoping for progress on Lebanon ceasefire and nuclear issue

US Vice President JD Vance has departed from Washington for Switzerland, ahead of talks with Iran and mediating countries.

“I can only be there for a day or two. I think we’re going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we’re to be focused on,” Vance tells reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews.

Asked whether the fighting in Lebanon threatening to derail the talks, Vance says, “Things are actually getting better there, and things are slowing down a little bit.”

“[Secretary of State Marco Rubio] and the entire team have been actively managing what’s going on in Lebanon,” he adds”

“Despite the headlines, things are actually getting better there, and things are slowing down a little bit. It’s going to be something we’re just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that you know Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure”

“That’s fundamentally the goal of this, to make the whole region safe and secure,” he says. “The big problem is that you have somebody will shoot and then somebody will respond, and you kind of have a chicken and egg problem where you’ve just got to stop the shooting for long enough to get the ceasefire to keep hold, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has departed for Switzerland to attend the U.S.-Qatar-Pakistan-Iran talks. pic.twitter.com/UykxL0iZ5G

— Conflict Radar (@Conflict_Radar1) June 20, 2026