April 11, 2026
Vance emerges as Trump’s Iran closer, a task fraught with risk
Tehran doesn’t trust Witkoff and Kushner, who led a failed round of talks before the war began, so Vance’s presence could signal to the Iranians that the U.S. is serious about negotiations, said Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East program at Defense Priorities, a Washington think tank that supports a more restrained foreign policy.
“Just because trust is at such a low with Iran having a new face, a fresh face, and one that is perceived to be aligned with restraint will allow the Iranians to take negotiations more seriously,” Kelanic said.
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