How does Iran view shift in US approach after JD Vance ordered away?

Résumé détaillé

Washington believes maritime blockade, overland border disruptions, air restrictions and isolating sanctions are working

Tehran, Iran – Decision-makers in Iran are now considering the implications of Vice President JD Vance’s removal from the Iran file to focus on domestic issues, which analysts say could increase the chances of conflict between the two sides.

Vance has been the US’s chief negotiator in talks with Iran, but US President Donald Trump told him to direct his focus on alleged Democratic “corruption”, according to a post by Trump on Truth Social on Thursday. He added that a deal with Iran was no longer a priority for the government.

The vice president is believed to be viewed by Tehran as one of the more pragmatic figures in the Trump administration since the US and Israel launched their surprise war on Iran on February 28.

Nasser Hadian, professor of international relations at the University of Tehran, said that by assigning Vance to the case of alleged domestic corruption, Trump was mainly signalling a confrontation with the Democrats after their sweeping victories against the governing Republican Party in the midterm elections.

But the move may also serve Israel, which is reportedly eager for Trump to launch new strikes against Iran, after Vance blamed the Republicans’ humiliating defeat in the midterms on the war.

“Another signal is to Iran, essentially saying reaching a deal now is not a priority, and that the person known to have a relatively softer stance on Iran was redirected to other issues,” Hadian said.

Vance is believed to have been in favour of a negotiated resolution to the war, due to its rising economic costs for US citizens and their opposition to the war suggested in opinion polls.

The vice president was backed by Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff when he negotiated the now-defunct memorandum of understanding with Iran in June, which briefly paused the war and resumed shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio has, meanwhile, called Iranian authorities “insane” for their demands on ending the war.

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