US Vice President JD Vance was full of praise for the Pakistani leadership for their role in advancing the US-Iran peace talks to a stage where leaders of both countries have met and are ready to discuss some of the biggest issues between them.
Vance was speaking at the Quadrilateral Meeting involving Pakistan, Qatar, Iran, and the United States in Switzerland.
Vance also joked that, over the past three months, there have been only two important people in his life — one Indian, his wife, and the other Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir.
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“I will say that since field marshal Munir welcomed us with the prime minister in Islamabad, I have joked that I have two very very important people in my life, an Indian and a Pakistani. The Indian is my wife and the Pakistani is field marshall Munir and I've probably talked to Munir more than I've talked to anybody else over the last three months,” Vance said while speaking to reporters.
Vance added that the US and Iran would not have reached this stage of negotiations without Munir's statesmanship.
{{/usCountry}}Vance added that the US and Iran would not have reached this stage of negotiations without Munir's statesmanship.
{{/usCountry}}"He is of course great military leader but I think he's shown himself to be a great diplomat and of course who's an amazing friend of the United States of America. But it has been also an important part of getting us to this point," said Vance.
Vance says Iran has been a driver of instability in Middle East
Vance said the key objectives of the recent diplomatic efforts had already been achieved, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz and securing commitments from Iran on its nuclear programme. He said the focus had now shifted to determining how much further progress could be made and whether the moment could be used to fundamentally reshape relations in the Middle East.
"What we're trying to accomplish here is something very simple, through diplomacy through working together to transform the Middle East where Iran and the Gulf have been at war with each other or at least have had very unfriendly relations. Iran has been a driver of regional instability. Now we see a future where everybody can work together to promote peace and prosperity for everyone," said Vance.
Vance on ceasefire violations in Lebanon
Responding to a question on ‘ceasefire violations’ by Israel in Lebanon, Vance said that peace processes are often complicated and imperfect. However, he stressed that significant progress had been made compared to the situation three months ago, and even in comparison to just a few days earlier.
Vance said the United States would continue working to preserve and strengthen the ceasefire, adding that Washington had done more than any other government to help reduce conflict and promote stability in Lebanon.
Vance also said that the discussions were not expected to resolve every disagreement immediately. Instead, they would create a framework for all parties to sit together, identify their key concerns, address outstanding disputes, and work toward mutually acceptable solutions.