Vance Says Iran Not 'Stalling' Nuclear Deal Talks, Deal Could Come 'In The Next Week'

HAMILTON (Canada), June 10 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- US Vice President JD Vance said Iran is not "stalling" nuclear deal negotiations and that a deal could be reached within days or potentially months, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. 

Asked whether the Iranians were stringing US President Donald Trump along in his view, Vance replied: "No, I don't think so. Again, I think their system takes a long time to reach a consensus."

His remarks came in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, set to air this week, excerpts of which were released ahead of broadcast.

Arguing that the administration's goal was a lasting agreement that would prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon, he said: "Right now, I feel that we are in a position to get a deal that is good for the United States economically and that really does deal with the Iranian nuclear programme, not just now, not just while Donald Trump is president, but for the long term, to where my kids can say when they're adults, 'Iran is not going to have a nuclear weapon.'"

"That's the goal of the policy. And I think we're very close to achieving that goal. But we still have some wood to chop. We're going to keep doing it," he added.

Noting that "we're going to know a lot before the midterm elections," Vance said: "I think that the deal could happen in the next week, but the deal could also happen months from now."

On the question of trust, Vance said the administration's confidence lay in its own negotiating capabilities rather than in Tehran.

"I don't trust anybody. What I do trust is my own ability to negotiate. I trust our administration's ability to negotiate, and I trust the enforcement provisions that we're going to get employed," he said.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU