Diplomacy continues — but threats are getting louder on both sides.
Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that Iran has yet to accept key “red lines” set by President Donald Trump, even as both sides agreed to continue negotiations following high-stakes talks in Geneva.
“In some ways, it went well; they agreed to meet afterwards,” Vance said in a Fox News interview. “But in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”
Vance signaled Washington remains open to diplomacy but warned that Trump could ultimately decide talks have run their course. “We’re going to keep on working it,” he said. “But the president reserves the ability to say when he thinks diplomacy has reached its natural end.”
The remarks came as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei escalated rhetoric, declaring that Tehran has the capability to sink a U.S. warship in the Gulf. His comments followed the deployment of two American aircraft carriers to the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, positioned within striking range of Iranian territory.
“A warship is certainly a dangerous weapon,” Khamenei said. “But even more dangerous is the weapon capable of sinking it.”
The talks, mediated by Oman and held at the Omani ambassador’s residence in Geneva, are aimed at averting possible U.S. military action. President Trump has repeatedly threatened force if Iran refuses to curb its nuclear program. On Friday, he said regime change in Tehran “would be the best thing that could happen.”
Iran insists negotiations must focus strictly on nuclear issues. Washington, however, has pushed to broaden discussions to include Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its support for armed groups across the Middle East.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said sanctions relief must be central to any agreement, describing it as “an integral part” of a deal.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route for global oil and gas. State television reported temporary closures in parts of the waterway for safety during the drills.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a more measured tone, saying, “We’re hopeful there’s a deal,” while emphasizing Trump prefers a negotiated outcome.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also expressed cautious optimism, saying he arrived in Geneva with “real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” but warned there would be no “submission before threats.”
With military forces on alert and diplomacy still fragile, the negotiations remain balanced between breakthrough and breakdown — and the consequences of failure could extend far beyond the Gulf.
