U.S. Vice President J D Vance said on the 13th (local time), regarding ceasefire talks with Iran, that “whether there will be further talks and whether a final agreement is reached are entirely up to Iran.”

In a Fox News interview that day, Vice President Vance said, “We have already offered a great deal to Iran,” and emphasized, “the ball is now in the court of Iran.”

Having led the U.S. delegation in Pakistan for talks with Iran on the 11th and 12th, he explained that the U.S. side left the negotiating venue because it judged that the Iranian negotiating team did not have the authority to reach a final agreement at that time.

He said, “We came to understand to some extent the negotiating approach of Iran, and that is why we left Pakistan,” adding, “the on-site negotiating team lacked the authority to produce an agreement and had to return to Tehran to seek approval from the supreme leader and others for the terms we presented.”

Regarding the breakdown of the first face-to-face talks, Vice President Vance said, “It cannot simply be seen as a failure,” and assessed, “we communicated our position very clearly, and I consider that a measure of progress.”

It was reported that the United States, during the negotiations, demanded that Iran ship out highly enriched uranium and relinquish control over the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. media also reported that the United States has demanded a halt to uranium enrichment by Iran for 20 years.

Vice President Vance, referring to the public war of words between Pope Leo XIV, who opposes the war with Iran, and President Donald Trump, said, “When the Vatican voices opinions on public policy, sometimes they align and sometimes they diverge.”

He continued, “In some cases, it is desirable for the Vatican to focus on moral issues or internal church matters, and for the U.S. president to devote attention to public policy,” adding, “however, when the two spheres collide, clashes are unavoidable.”

On the defeat of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling party in the Hungarian general election, he said, “Orban is an outstanding leader who has done excellent work, and his defeat is regrettable,” while adding, “we will cooperate well with the next Hungarian prime minister as well.”