White House says Vice President Vance delays trip for Iran talks

The White House said overnight Thursday to Friday that Vice President JD Vance will not leave for Switzerland as planned to sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran. Officials said the delay was caused by unexpected logistics in the negotiations, and stressed that the U.S. still expects technical talks to begin as soon as possible.

In its statement, the White House said the American delegation had been ready to depart at the earliest opportunity, but that the talks had not been finalized and the logistics of the process had never been simple or predictable. It said Vance is not traveling tonight and that the administration will update later on next steps.

The postponement comes amid Iranian warnings that continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon could endanger the talks with Washington, and amid reports that members of the Iranian delegation also canceled their trip to Switzerland. Lebanese media reported additional Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, including intense operations around Nabatieh.

Vance has emerged in recent days as the main public defender of the agreement with Iran. In interviews with The New York Times and at a White House briefing, he said the new understandings differ from the Obama-era nuclear deal because Iran is committed to destroying its stockpile of enriched uranium. He also said any sanctions relief would depend on changes in Iran’s behavior, criticized ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for attacking the deal, and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself had not publicly opposed it: "I don't think Bibi himself really criticized the deal. Maybe because he knows the details better."