Washington: A newly-struck ceasefire between the United States and Iran is already under strain, Vice President J D Vance said, calling it a “fragile truce” threatened by internal discord in Tehran.
Speaking during an event in Budapest, Vance said the agreement, reached hours earlier, marked a pause in hostilities but remained uncertain.
“That is the basis of this fragile truce that we have,” he said, noting the deal was only “eight to 12 hours old”.
The ceasefire followed a US ultimatum to Iran to reopen key shipping lanes and halt actions that had disrupted global commerce.
“This is why I say this is a fragile truce,” he said.
“He said, open up the straits… and we’ll engage in a ceasefire,” Vance said, referring to President Donald Trump’s directive to negotiators.
Under the arrangement, Iran agreed to restore passage through strategic waterways, while the United States and its allies halted military strikes.
“The Iranians have agreed to open up the straits. The United States agreed to stop attacking,” he said.
Vance said Washington’s military objective had already been achieved prior to the ceasefire.
“What the President set out to do was decimate the Iranian military… and that military objective… has been achieved,” he said.
Despite the breakthrough, Vance cautioned that divisions within Iran’s leadership were already complicating the situation.
“You have, on the one hand, people within Iran who responded very favourably… and then you have some people… who are basically lying about what we’ve accomplished,” he said.
“They’re lying about the nature of the agreement. They’re lying about the nature of the ceasefire.”
He said such contradictions were a key reason the truce remained fragile and could unravel if not managed carefully.
Vance said President Trump had instructed his team to pursue diplomacy but made clear that patience was limited.
“The President… has told us to negotiate in good faith,” he said, adding that the US side was prepared to reach a broader agreement if Iran engaged constructively.
“If they negotiate in good faith, we will be able to find a deal,” he said.
At the same time, he warned that Washington retained significant leverage should talks collapse.
“If they’re going to lie, if they’re going to cheat… then they’re not going to be happy,” he said.
He cited “clear military, diplomatic and… extraordinary economic leverage” available to the United States if required.
For now, the ceasefire represents a narrow diplomatic opening after a period of escalating conflict.
Vance said the next phase would depend entirely on Iran’s approach at the negotiating table.
“Ultimately, it’s up to the Iranians how they negotiate,” he said, adding, “I hope they make the right decisions.”
(IANS)
