Vance: Iran’s Doha denial a ‘Persian negotiating tactic’

US Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that Iran's public denials of ongoing talks amount to a deliberate "Persian negotiating tactic," as he confirmed that technical discussions between Washington and Tehran are proceeding. "There were scheduled talks, really technical talks, building on the negotiation that we've already had. Those are definitely happening tomorrow," Vance said in an interview released Tuesday. He described Tehran's public statements as "fascinating and frustrating," noting that Iranian officials deny peace talks while acknowledging technical discussions.

Technical talks and US position

White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Doha after President Trump announced Monday that Iran had requested a meeting in the Qatari capital. However, Iran has denied that any direct talks with Washington are scheduled, while confirming that consultations with intermediaries continue. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that what will be done in Doha is "a discussion about the implementation of clauses of the memorandum of understanding, including the release of Iran's frozen assets" with the Qatari side. A senior US official said Witkoff and Kushner will meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani and other mediators to continue regional dialogue.

Vance on military options

Addressing criticism of the administration's deal with Iran, Vance defended Trump's approach, stating that the president has demonstrated a willingness to use military force when necessary but only to achieve specific objectives. In a separate interview with FOX News, Vance said Washington was focused on Iranian actions rather than words, arguing that meaningful progress required Tehran to offer "real concessions." "We care a lot less about what the Iranians say. We care a lot more about what they do. We see some positive signs, obviously. We see some negative signs," he said.