U.S. Holds Advantage in Middle East Talks, Says Vice President

The United States holds a strong position in the Middle East negotiations currently taking place, according to Vice President JD Vance. He provided these insights in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.

Vance emphasized that the Trump administration has already met its main goal regarding Iran, regardless of the outcome of the discussions in Doha. “We have all the cards in the negotiation,” Vance remarked during an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle.” He noted, “We obviously want it to be successful, but even if it’s not successful, we’ve accomplished the core mission, which is to ensure that the Iranians never have a nuclear weapon.”

During a press conference following a military briefing on October 21, 2025, in Kiryat Gat, Israel, Vice President Vance stated, “In other words, it’s a win-win outcome for the American people.”

He explained that successful talks could lead to a “permanently transformed” Iran, free from nuclear ambitions and no longer funding proxies involved in regional conflicts. Under such circumstances, Iran could reintegrate into the global economy. Vance elaborated, “That’s a great outcome for the American people. It’s a greater outcome for the whole region.”

Vance acknowledged, however, that the talks may not lead to the desired concessions. He asserted, “If the Iranians don’t behave, if they don’t make the concessions we need to see, their nuclear program is still destroyed, their conventional military is still destroyed and the United States is still in a much stronger position relative to the Iranians.”

His comments coincided with the arrival of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Qatar for discussions with mediators. Reports indicate there will be no direct high-level meetings between Washington and Tehran.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari informed reporters that he was not aware of any direct meetings planned between the two parties. Yet, the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned on “Fox & Friends” earlier that Iran had requested talks. Other Trump administration officials, including President Donald Trump, have made similar statements.