WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance has said President Donald Trump has no plans to restart military operations against Iran unless there is a “clearly defined purpose,” signaling that Washington remains committed to diplomacy as negotiations continue in Doha.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Vance said the Trump administration would only consider military action if necessary, while warning that any Iranian attempt to rebuild its nuclear programme or threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would trigger a change in US strategy.
“What I can commit to is the president's not going to send our military back in unless he has to,” Vance said, adding that the administration is giving ongoing negotiations every opportunity to succeed.
According to Vance, discussions in Qatar are progressing positively, with both sides working in good faith to secure a lasting agreement. The current 60-day negotiation period is focused on sanctions relief, nuclear verification, reopening the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted commercial shipping, and implementing a recently signed peace memorandum.
Reports from Bloomberg said US envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner held constructive meetings with Qatari officials to support the diplomatic process. However, Iran has denied holding direct talks with US representatives, insisting that all communications continue through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced that part of the country's initial $6 billion in frozen assets would be used to purchase essential goods following discussions in Doha. He also confirmed that Tehran, Qatar and Pakistan agreed to establish an urgent communication channel to monitor implementation of the memorandum.
President Trump also expressed optimism about the negotiations, telling reporters that the denuclearisation process was “moving along well” after what he described as “very good meetings” in Qatar. Reports suggest the US president has postponed consideration of further military strikes to allow diplomacy more time.
Despite the positive signals from Washington, tensions remain high. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Israel of a “powerful response” to any threats against Iran’s leadership, while Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel could strike Iran again if necessary.
With negotiations continuing in Doha, global attention remains focused on whether diplomacy can secure a lasting agreement and prevent another escalation in the Middle East.
