US Vice President JD Vance has confirmed that negotiations with Iran in Doha are progressing positively, with technical-level discussions underway and talks on the nuclear issue set to begin shortly. Speaking to CNN after addressing US service members in Virginia, Vance said, “It’s still pretty early, but talks are going well.”

He explained that technical negotiators were meeting with Iranian representatives, Qatari officials, and other parties in Doha to work through details. He emphasised that the nuclear issue remained a central concern and would soon be the focus of discussions. Vance added that the talks were taking place from a position of strength, not weakness, and thanked US military personnel for their role in underpinning America’s negotiating stance.

At Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Vance contrasted the current US approach with past wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He argued that President Donald Trump would only authorise military action with clearly defined objectives.

He said Trump was negotiating from a position where Iran’s nuclear programme and conventional military had already been destroyed, and criticised those attacking the administration for negotiating, noting they were the same voices that had previously urged further military escalation in Afghanistan.

Vance stressed that if Trump ever ordered military strikes, they would be for specific purposes, not open-ended campaigns. He underscored that the administration’s strategy was rooted in clarity and strength, rather than indefinite military commitments.

Meanwhile, President Trump himself expressed optimism about the diplomatic process, claiming that the “denuclearisation” of Iran was going well. Speaking to reporters before departing for North Dakota to visit the newly built Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Trump said discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme had advanced positively following recent US military action against the Islamic Republic over strikes on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump asserted that Iran had shifted its position after being hit hard by US strikes. “They’ve come a long way. We hit them very hard last week. They’re fine. We’re going to get it. It’s the denuclearisation of Iran,” he said. He reiterated Washington’s longstanding position that Iran would not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, stressing that preventing Tehran from acquiring such capability was essential to US national security.

He added that Iran’s nuclear ambitions would not be tolerated, declaring, “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, all of this stuff that we look at, all of these things that we do, the country has never had activity like it’s got right now.” His remarks highlighted the administration’s determination to maintain pressure on Tehran while pursuing negotiations.

Despite Trump’s optimism, Iranian officials have not participated in direct high-level talks with senior US representatives in Doha. The absence of direct engagement underscores the complexity of the process, even as technical-level discussions continue with Qatari mediation and international involvement.

The negotiations in Doha represent the latest phase of efforts to implement the 14‑point memorandum of understanding signed earlier, with the nuclear issue at the centre of talks.

The coming days will determine whether progress can be sustained and whether the fragile diplomatic momentum can be translated into concrete agreements.

ANI