US Vice President J.D. Vance made a series of policy statements signaling a possible turning point in the Middle East conflict. According to the senior official, the United States has largely achieved its goals in Iran and is considering gradually winding down the military operation. Vance emphasized that Washington is committed to ending the standoff through a successful diplomatic process, but stressed that "the ball is now in Tehran's court." The American administration sees the potential for a "truly grand bargain," but insists that the initiative and the next concrete step must come from the Iranian leadership.

Nuclear security remains one of the central and most stringent US demands. Washington insists that Iran fully transfer its enriched uranium stockpiles to international control or directly to the United States in the long term. Vance explained that Tehran's lack of flexibility regarding the removal of nuclear materials was one of the reasons for the temporary suspension of dialogue in Pakistan. Furthermore, the full opening of the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping is a strategic condition for the continuation of the peace process. The American side warned that maintaining the naval blockade or any navigation restrictions would "fundamentally change the nature of the negotiations" and could lead to a resumption of military pressure.

Commenting on the recent diplomatic round in Islamabad, J.D. Vance noted that the Iranian delegation was unprepared to make immediate decisions. According to the American side, Tehran's representatives lacked the authority to sign the final documents, forcing them to return to the capital for consultations with the Supreme Leader and other key regime figures. Nevertheless, the United States is keeping the window open for a new round of meetings if the Iranian side returns with a genuine mandate for disarmament. Against the backdrop of these political statements, global energy markets reacted with an abnormal price surge: the price of Russian Urals crude jumped sharply to $114 per barrel, temporarily becoming the world's most expensive grade, while the global benchmark Brent remains stable below $100. Analysts attribute this surge to the high uncertainty regarding the future of Iranian supplies and the possible changes to global logistics routes in the event of the success or ultimate failure of the "grand deal."