Iran Calls BS on Vance’s Peace Talk Claims

Politics admin June 22, 2026 0 Comments

Vice President JD Vance’s efforts to sell fragile peace talks with Iran hit an immediate snag Monday after Tehran publicly disputed one of his key claims.

Speaking to reporters in Switzerland, where he had been involved in diplomatic discussions, Vance said Iran had agreed to allow United Nations nuclear inspectors back into the country, describing the move as a positive step toward a broader agreement.

But Iran’s foreign ministry quickly pushed back, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei telling state media that Tehran had made “no new commitments” regarding nuclear inspections and that any cooperation with international monitors would occur only “under existing procedures.”

The comments came as Vance also sought to downplay suggestions that he had been snubbed over the weekend by Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, who came into the room but did not greet the vice president.

Asked if he felt this was an intentional move on Iran’s part, Vance told reporters: “No, I mean I—trust me, I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with the Iranians over the last few months. Sometimes I find them extremely confusing as negotiators.

“But look, we had a little press conference. They obviously don’t quite have the same First Amendment protections in Iran that we have in the United States of America. We talked to you guys and then had a series of really good meetings,” he added.

The Trump administration also temporarily lifted oil sanctions against Iran on Monday, in a contentious policy reversal that will allow the country to increase oil exports and charge market prices.

But some Republicans remain deeply skeptical about Iran giving much in return, with one GOP senator even declaring on Fox News that the country was essentially playing “rope-a-dope” with President Donald Trump to buy time.

“What we’re seeing now is the rope-a-dope they usually perform, which is buy time and try to lead us along until hopefully President Trump and his team’s out of office,” said Montana Republican and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy.

“So hopefully this [round of talks] is successful, but we have to remind ourselves we are dealing with a regime that will not negotiate in good faith.”

A video circulating widely on social media also highlighted the deep distrust between the two sides. In the footage, the head of Iran’s judiciary described Trump as “an arrogant, boastful, selfish, resentful, vile, promise-breaking person.”

“How can one trust someone like that? And who even trusts the U.S.?” Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i is quoted as saying.

Trump, meanwhile, told reporters on Monday that negotiations were proceeding as planned, with the Strait of Hormuz “totally open” and “an oil gusher.”

He claimed that “we took in more oil yesterday than has ever gone through the Strait,” despite the fact that traffic is still well below pre-war levels.