US Vice President JD Vance on Monday, 22 June said that the latest round of negotiations with Iran had produced concrete agreements on maritime security, regional ceasefire enforcement, and nuclear inspections, describing the outcomes as the foundation for what could become a “truly transformed Middle East.” Vance made the remarks to reporters before departing Emmen Air Base in Switzerland, where both sides had been engaged in intensive diplomacy.

Key Agreements Reached

Vance identified three headline outcomes from the Switzerland talks. First, a mechanism was established to keep shipping lanes open and ensure continued energy flows through the region. He said approximately 15 million barrels of oil had moved as a result, which he credited as a factor in current lower global oil prices. “The fundamental thing we got is number one, we set up the mechanism to ensure not only the straight support moves are open, but will stay open,” he said.

Second, a framework was agreed to manage regional ceasefire enforcement, with the Trump administration working alongside Israel and Gulf Arab partners to sustain it. “We actually set up the right mechanism to ensure the regional ceasefire to manage the inevitable conflicts that will come up,” Vance said, adding that the administration felt “very, very good” about where that stood.

Third, and perhaps most significantly, Iran has agreed to allow nuclear inspectors into the country “for the first time in a long time,” according to Vance. He said the inspection regime would be strengthened to ensure Tehran could “never have a nuclear weapon.”

Verification Over Promises

Vance was emphatic that the Trump administration would judge Iran by its actions rather than its stated intentions. “Whether good faith or bad faith, you can’t trust anybody’s worries; you have to trust what they actually do,” he said. He added that President Donald Trump had specifically instructed the team to “verify what they’re doing, focus less on what they’re saying.”

This cautious posture reflects broader scepticism within the administration about Iranian commitments, even as both sides signalled willingness to continue talks. Notably, negotiating teams from both the United States and Iran remained at the resort in Switzerland to work through outstanding technical details.

Frozen Funds and Qatar’s Role

Qatar has agreed to help establish an oversight mechanism governing the potential release of frozen Iranian funds, Vance confirmed. He said the funds would not be unfrozen unless negotiations continued to show progress. “Fundamentally, that money is not going to be unfrozen unless we continue to see progress, and that will obviously be a big part of the negotiation in the days to come,” he said.

The involvement of Doha as a mediating actor is consistent with Qatar’s established role as a backchannel between Washington and Tehran, a pattern that has persisted across multiple administrations.

Diplomatic Atmosphere and What Comes Next

Vance dismissed reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had snubbed him before negotiations began, describing the Iranians as “extremely confusing” but not obstructive negotiators. He also mocked social media speculation that the Iranian delegation was about to walk out. “We proceeded to talk to them for like the next nine hours,” he said.

Both sides are expected to continue technical-level negotiations in the coming days. The administration has framed the Switzerland round as a foundation, not a conclusion — “We haven’t built the house yet, we’re gonna have to keep on building,” Vance said. The durability of the agreements, particularly on nuclear inspections and ceasefire enforcement, will depend heavily on follow-through from Tehran and coordination with regional allies.