U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was publicly embarrassed on Monday at an international summit in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, after officials from Iran and Qatar appeared to snub him on camera. The article says the episode underscored a new low for America’s standing abroad.
The first setback came shortly before the meeting, when Iran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz. The report says Washington gave no official or unofficial response and continued with the summit as planned, even though only Iranian ships were said to be allowed through the strait. The U.S. delegation also arrived first at the lakeside resort, despite diplomatic convention that the stronger side is usually the last to enter negotiations.
According to verified reports cited in the article, the U.S. had coordinated with the Muslim mediators, Qatar and Pakistan, for a group photo in the meeting hall alongside the flags of the United States, Pakistan, Qatar and Iran. Iran had agreed and even brought its own photographers. But when the Iranians arrived, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that he could not remain in the hall while the American representative was present. Video from the scene reportedly showed Vance stunned by the moment.
The humiliation continued when Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani entered the room. The article says he ignored Vance rather than shaking his hand, even as Vance tried to get his attention and exchanged a few words with him, only to receive a cold response. Social media users reacted with shock, with one post saying Vance should have left as soon as the Iranians refused to pose, and that he had taken U.S. prestige to a new low.
