JD Vance had two jobs last week: secure an Iran deal and maintain Hungary’s Viktor Orban in power. Neither task was accomplished by US Vice President Vance.
After 21 hours of negotiations in Pakistan, Vance left on Sunday without securing a deal with Tehran to end the ongoing conflict he never wished for.
At a brief press conference in Islamabad, Vance announced the “bad news” and departed shortly after landing back home.
Despite conceding defeat in Hungary’s elections, Vance defended his trip to Budapest, stating it was still valuable to support Orban despite not winning every race. He emphasized standing by allies is important.
In Pakistan, Vance led high-level talks with Tehran for 50 years but failed to reach an agreement that would turn a two-week ceasefire into lasting peace. Despite the setback, Vance remained optimistic about progress and future negotiations.
The outcome of US-Iran talks remains uncertain as Iran’s representatives reportedly still expressed interest in making a deal. The impact on Vance’s political ambitions is unclear, with potential competition from Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.