Iran has agreed to inspections of its nuclear materials, US Vice President JD Vance told the media on Monday upon leaving the Iran negotiations in Switzerland.
“I feel great about the progress that we’ve made,” Vance said.
"We have the Iranians allowing weapons inspectors, nuclear inspectors into their country for the first time in a long time," he said, noting that they will ensure Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.
"We set up the mechanism to ensure not only the Straits of Hormuz are open but will stay open," Vance added, stating that about 15 million barrels of oil exited the strait recently, bringing gas prices down.
"This is laying a foundation for what could be a truly transformed Middle East," he continued.
Vance said handshake refusal didn't impact negotiations
Moreover, Vance confirmed that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used at the direction of the US, and on American goods.
“We actually asked the Qataris to set up the mechanism to ensure the money goes where we want it to go," he said.
Vance also said that a mechanism to ensure the ceasefire in the Middle East would last had been established, and that efforts were coordinated with Israel and Arab countries.
Vance said he didn’t feel snubbed by the Iranian delegation’s refusal to shake hands at the beginning of negotiations.
“I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with the Iranians over the last few months.
“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 [the media] and then had a series of really good meetings.”
"After that initial meeting, there was this sort of social media firestorm where everybody said the Iranians are gonna leave, and then we proceeded to talk to them for, like the next nine hours,” Vance continued.
Further, Vance implored media to treat Iranian social media reports with a grain of skepticism before boarding Air Force 2.