Trump pulls Vance away from Iran diplomacy, claims Iran deal not needed

• The president claimed that Washington no longer needs a deal with Iran.
• Vance had recently led indirect diplomatic efforts to restart US-Iran negotiations.
• The vice president has reportedly clashed with Netanyahu over the war and its implications for US interests.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday directed Vice President JD Vance to turn his attention away from Iran and focus on alleged corruption in Democratic-led states, raising questions about Vance’s continuing role in the administration’s Iran policy and diplomatic efforts.

In a post on his platform Truth Social, Trump said he had asked Vance to devote his “complete and total attention” to what he described as widespread corruption and criminal activity in Democratic-run cities and states, naming Minnesota, California and Illinois.

Trump alleged that billions of dollars were being stolen every month and claimed that tackling the alleged corruption could allow the US to balance its federal budget.

The president also made a pointed statement on Iran, declaring: “We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed.” He added that Washington had secured “hundreds of billions of dollars” and control of the Strait, without providing further details in the post.

The remarks appear to signal a shift in the administration’s immediate priorities, although Trump did not explicitly announce Vance’s removal from the Iran negotiating process or outline who would take over his diplomatic responsibilities.

Vance’s role in Iran diplomacy

The directive comes just days after Vance emerged as a central figure in efforts to secure a new ceasefire with Iran and revive nuclear negotiations.

According to an Axios report published on Nov. 6, Vance had spent two weeks personally involved in indirect negotiations with Tehran, maintaining near-daily contact with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Pakistani military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other mediators.

Vance had also sent a letter to Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, proposing a return to direct negotiations. Iranian officials reportedly viewed the outreach positively.

His involvement reflected his longstanding reservations about an extended military conflict with Iran. Vance had advocated diplomacy before the war and subsequently took a leading role in negotiations, including efforts to secure a provisional agreement that later collapsed.

The latest development also comes amid reported disagreements between Vance and ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the direction of the war.

Axios reported on Nov. 5 that Vance had privately accused Netanyahu of being "wrong on everything" regarding Iran and repeatedly urged Trump to pursue negotiations rather than prolong the conflict. He had also warned that the war could damage Republican prospects in the November midterm elections.

The two leaders' differences had previously become public. In June, Vance said US and ‘Israeli’ interests were not always aligned and acknowledged that Netanyahu had "certainly gotten some things wrong" in his handling of the conflict. He also criticised elements of the Israeli government for opposing Trump's diplomatic efforts.

In October, Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu for re-election, saying he was focused on American candidates and the US midterm elections, despite Trump's public endorsement of the ‘Israeli’ prime minister.