US Vice President JD Vance has questioned how decisions are being made inside Iran, saying Washington is unsure who ultimately has authority in Tehran as the two sides negotiate an end to their seven-month war.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters on Monday, Vance said Iran would need to make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to meet US demands and bring the conflict to an end.
The remarks came after President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his “biggest problem” was that no one knows who is running Iran.
This is not the first time Washington has questioned Iran’s leadership. Trump has repeatedly raised concerns over Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s wellbeing, while his prolonged absence from public view during the ongoing US-Iran war has fueled speculation that he may not be fully in command.
Iran, however, has rejected such claims, maintaining that Mojtaba Khamenei formally remains the country’s Supreme Leader and continues to lead Iran amid US and Israeli attacks. Earlier reports said he went into hiding after being critically injured in the February 28 attacks, but his current condition and whereabouts remain unclear.
Vance questions who calls the shots in Tehran
The Vice President said the US is in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and foreign minister Abbas Araqchi. However, he questioned how much authority the two officials actually have within Iran’s power structure.
“One of the things we picked up on is it’s not totally clear how their country makes decisions,” Vance told Reuters.
Trump echoed the concern a day later, saying his “biggest problem” was that “no one knows who is running Iran.”
Iran, however, rejected the suggestion that there is uncertainty over its leadership or decision-making process.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Sunday that US officials know who their Iranian counterparts are and understand how the country’s decision-making system works.
“The problem is actually the opposite: it lies in the contradictory positions and mixed messaging from US officials,” Baghaei told a weekly press conference.
Vance says nuclear enrichment remains key
Vance said Tehran must agree to a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity if it wants to satisfy Washington’s demands.
The vice president, who has long been sceptical of US involvement in foreign wars, has played a prominent role in efforts to negotiate a settlement. He previously helped broker a provisional peace agreement in June, but the deal quickly collapsed.
The prolonged conflict has disrupted global energy markets and emerged as a political challenge for Trump and Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.
However, Vance declined to say whether he was personally leading the peace negotiations, despite frequently being described as the White House’s top negotiator.
“We’re certainly involved,” he said. “Ultimately, the president of the United States is driving things.”
