"Absurd Diplomacy": JD Vance Slams Iran in Megyn Kelly Interview
Vice President JD Vance describes the "absurdity" of negotiating with Iran’s Supreme Leader and warns of a Middle East nuclear arms race if diplomacy fails.
In a wide-ranging interview on The Megyn Kelly Show aired yesterday, Vice President JD Vance provided a blunt assessment of the "absurd" nature of U.S. diplomacy with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Speaking as the Trump administration prepares for high-level nuclear talks in Oman, Vance highlighted a fundamental disconnect in how the two nations communicate, contrasting Iran’s opaque leadership with other global adversaries.
Vance’s primary frustration centered on the refusal of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to engage in direct dialogue. While President Trump has historically utilized direct "leader-to-leader" communication with figures in Russia, China, and North Korea, the Iranian system remains a unique outlier.
"It’s a very weird country to conduct diplomacy with when you can’t even talk to the person who’s in charge of the country," Vance told Kelly. "That makes all of this much more complicated, and it makes the whole situation much more absurd."
Vance warned that an Iranian nuclear weapon would trigger an immediate regional arms race. "If the Iranians get a nuclear weapon, you know who gets a nuclear weapon, like the next day? The Saudi Arabians," he noted, emphasizing that stopping proliferation is a core "America First" objective.
While stressing that the administration prefers non-military means, Vance was clear that President Trump "will keep his options open." He stated, "If he feels like the military is the only option, then he’s ultimately going to choose that option."
Vance expressed sympathy for the ongoing protests within Iran, stating that while nuclear security is the paramount interest, the U.S. would welcome a "freedom-loving" government in Tehran that is friendlier to American interests.
Vance’s remarks come at a critical juncture as the U.S. and Iran have agreed to hold nuclear-focused talks in Muscat, Oman, shifting the venue from Turkey. Iran has insisted on limiting discussions strictly to the nuclear file. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has pushed to expand the agenda to include ballistic missiles, regional proxy networks, and the "treatment of [Iran's] own people."