Vance: US wants to turn over ‘a new leaf’ with Iran, progress already made today

US Vice President JD Vance says the US and Iran have already made progress during the first several hours of talks in Switzerland.

“We already made progress in the last several hours and I expect we will make additional progress in the hours to come,” Vance says while standing in front of reporters for a brief press conference alongside the prime ministers of Pakistan and Qatar, who are mediating the talks. While Vance’s counterpart in the talks, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, does not stand alongside the three of them, several Iranian officials are present toward the back of the room.

Vance says today’s meeting is “historic” due to the high-level of face-to-face engagement between US and Iranian leaders at a resort in Burgenstock where the talks are being held.

US President Donald Trump has asked to turn over “a new leaf” to transform the US relationship with Iran, Vance says, adding that the technical talks in Switzerland will allow for both sides to sit together and work to resolve issues.

Referencing the US desire to see a truce in Lebanon as part of the deal inked last week with Iran, Vance says Trump remains committed to a “full regional ceasefire.”

He again acknowledges that such truces can “be a little bit messy,” but claims a lot of progress has been made over the last two days to ensure a ceasefire in Lebanon. Vance stops short of calling for Israel to pull out of southern Lebanon, as is demanded by Iran. Tehran has cited the requirement in the memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and the US that all military operations in Lebanon cease.

Israel is not a party to the deal and has said it will not pull out its forces so long as Hezbollah remains a threat.