Trump threatens to ‘hit Iran very hard’ as Vance opens peace talks in Switzerland

Summit amid threats

Vice President JD Vance opened direct talks with Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Bürgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne on Sunday. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar joined the session, alongside IAEA chief Rafael Grossi. Vance offered an “outstretched hand” to Iran, saying the negotiations could transform the Middle East if Tehran “gives up being a driver of regional instability.”

We’ve already made great progress over just the last few hours, and I expect that we’ll make additional progress in the hours to come.

Strait of Hormuz closure

A week after a tentative deal reopened the Strait of Hormuz, Iran announced Saturday it had again closed the critical waterway, through which about one-fifth of global oil passes. Iran’s military linked the move to Israel’s continued strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, arguing the U.S. failure to halt the fighting breached last week’s memorandum of understanding. U.S. Central Command said shipping was proceeding normally, but commercial tracking data showed only a single small tanker crossed with its transponder on after the announcement, compared with dozens of ships a day earlier. Iran’s Fars news agency cited a military source saying no new transit permits would be issued “until further notice.”

Broken ceasefire in Lebanon

The agreement signed last week mandated an end to all hostilities, including in Lebanon, where Israel invaded in March. A ceasefire brokered on Friday collapsed within hours, as Israeli forces and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire throughout Saturday. Israel and Hezbollah were not signatories to the U.S.-Iran deal, and the renewed fighting has strained the talks. Vance downplayed the violence, saying the situation was “a little bit messy” but that “great progress” had been made in recent days.

Nuclear program on hold

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted his country would never renounce its right to enrich uranium. The preliminary agreement allows civilian nuclear work, but technical details, including what to do with Iran’s enriched stockpile, remain unresolved. Iran says no substantive nuclear discussions will begin until the Lebanon fighting stops and it receives promised economic benefits.

What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it.

Trump’s parallel threats

Even as Vance spoke of progress, President Trump issued an ultimatum on social media, threatening to “hit Iran very hard again” if Hezbollah attacks continue. In a Fox News interview, he warned he would “take over” the Strait of Hormuz and “blow the shit out of” Iran. He also said he was considering empowering Syria to join the fighting against Hezbollah and expressed disappointment that Israel had not “put Hezbollah away.”

Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!