World

Vance's push to get Iran talks started hits an early bump as weekend negotiations are put on hold

A White House spokesperson on Thursday (local time) said that US Vice President JD Vance will not depart for Switzerland for further talks as the plans for the talks have not been finalised. The spokesperson said that a delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity. "As the Vice President said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalised, and the US delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity. But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable," the spokesperson said. "As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight. We will let you know as soon as we have a concrete update about next steps. We look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible," they added. While speaking at a press briefing earlier in the day, Vance said that 12.5 million barrels of oil went through the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Iranian presidents signed a peace plan aiming to end the war. "The president's peace plan in Iran is already bearing real fruits for the American people. Last night, 12.5 million barrels of oil went through the Strait of Hormuz. That is a high since the beginning of the conflict. Oil prices are down nearly at their level from the pre-war conflict. Gas prices dropped below $4 a gallon today for the first time since the conflict. And importantly, they're going to keep falling further given how low oil prices are." Vance said that the US will not send a single penny to the Iranians as part of the MoU. He added that if Iran were to benefit in any way would be after "fully complying and changing their behaviour'. "The part of the peace plan, the part of this MoU that I think has been most misrepresented by certain parts of the media, is the idea that the Iranians get all these benefits. You will hear things about $300 billion or $24 billion or this or that number of money or amount of money. The simple fact is that the only way the Iranians get any of those resources--not a single penny, by the way, from the United States of America under any circumstances--but the only way that they would ever get any benefit of the bargain is if they comply fully and change their behaviour," the US vice president said. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, while speaking to the press at a Medal of Honour Ceremony, said that the stock markets were at an all-time high following the peace deal. "I just want to say, though, the stock market just hit a new all-time high. Oil is dropping like a rock. Other than that, it's another day in paradise. I have no higher privilege than serving as the Commander in Chief of the US Armed Forces. I'm so proud of them. A 250-year tradition of the bravest and greatest heroes ever to walk the earth," he said. The United States and Iran were set to hold their initial round of talks following the ceasefire agreement, which was signed on Wednesday (June 17) virtually by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing the Swiss government.