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Vance vs Rubio on Iran
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are projecting unity while taking different lines on Iran and Lebanon as they carry out President Donald Trump’s national security agenda.
“Vance and Rubio take different approaches as Iran tests their 2028 prospects Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio appear to be staking out differing approaches to carrying out President Donald Trump’s national security agenda WASHINGTON -- Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio appear to be staking out differing approaches to carrying out President Donald Trump’s national security agenda as the possible 2028 presidential rivals jostle for position in a divided Republican Party”
The Independent says Vance has repeatedly criticized Israel’s actions in Lebanon and claimed Trump is frustrated by Israeli operations against the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, which Vance says have angered Iran and complicated diplomatic efforts with Tehran.
Rubio, meanwhile, has remained supportive of Israel or held his tongue, particularly over Lebanon, which The Independent says he has taken the lead on and resulted in a preliminary framework agreement last week.
Both The Independent and India Today frame the divergence as most visible on the Middle East, with Vance taking the lead on Iran negotiations and Rubio taking the lead on Lebanon.
Dan Fried, a former assistant secretary of state and ambassador to Poland now with the Atlantic Council, told The Independent, "The talk about differences is not idle speculation."
Denials, delegations, and quotes
The White House and State Department deny any rift, with White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly telling reporters, "Why is the legacy media obsessed with driving a wedge between Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio that does not exist?"
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott added that "Rubio and the entire administration is 100% in lockstep behind President Trump."
Yet Trump administration officials familiar with the matter told The Independent that Rubio was so skeptical of obtaining an acceptable deal with Iran that he declined to head the U.S. delegation to the first ceasefire negotiations in April in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The Independent also says Vance led the U.S. delegation to an inconclusive meeting in Pakistan and then again this month to talks in Switzerland after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran.
Vance and Rubio both deny tensions, with Rubio telling reporters in Bahrain, "When it comes to foreign policy and national security, we have no drama. We have no games."
Fragile truce and next steps
The Independent describes the truce set out in the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding as "very fragile," tested by repeated exchanges of fire between the sides in recent days.
“Axios, the American site, said that U”
Jewish Insider says Vance led last week’s negotiations with Iran in Switzerland and that a “good foundation” was established, but it reports that three days later Iranian drones fired on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz and prompted the U.S. to strike Iranian military infrastructure.
Jewish Insider adds that officials say the U.S. and Iranian delegations agreed to hold fire and meet in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday to discuss the status of the Strait of Hormuz.
Al Jazeera says Vance defended the MoU on a media blitz, hailing “good progress” and “a very good foundation,” while also describing that the two sides have 60 days to conclude a final deal.
Al Jazeera quotes Vance criticizing Israel’s tactics, saying, "You’re a country of nine million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have," as the divergence over Iran and Lebanon continues to shape the talks.
