J.D. Vance before a quadrilateral meeting between the US, Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar at the Burgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, June 21, 2026 (Fabrice Coffrini/Reuters)

EA on Times Radio: From Trump’s War on Iran to His War on America’s 250th Anniversary

EA on India’s WION and News 9: Israel Attacks on Lebanon Threaten US-Iran Talks

UPDATE, JUNE 28:

I joined Pakistan’s Express 24/7 on Thursday to examine further the gap between the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and the Trump camp’s distorted presentation of it.

I begin with the status of the Strait of Hormuz, free to all shipping before the US-Israel War but likely to be managed by Tehran — possibly in partnership with Oman — in a deal reopening the waterway.

I point out how US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is trying to raise the issue of Iran’s “proxies” in the Middle East, even though the MoU does not include this.

Then I consider Iran’s nuclear program and how statements by Trump officials like Vice President J.D. Vance, trying to claim an illusory “victory”, are avoiding the central issue around uranium enrichment.

Watch from 4:09:

UPDATE, JUNE 25:

I followed up with India’s FirstPost on Wednesday about the status of the talks to end the US War on Iran, focusing on the position of Gulf States.

As US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tours the region, I explain the split among the six states. The UAE is drawing closer to the Trump camp and Israel, but the others — particuarly Saudi Arabia and Qatar — are angry and frustrated with the Trumpists over the conduct of the war.

So what is the effect on the US-Iran talks, as the Gulf States do not want a return to war but also face an Iranian regime which is not only still in power but in a better political position that before the US-Israel attacks?

Watch from 6:19:

ORIGINAL ENTRY, JUNE 23: I joined France 24 English on Monday, just after Vice President J.D. Vance gave his version of the talks to end the US War on Iran.

I explain how Vance tried to portray concessions to the Iranians as a Trumpist “victory”, misrepresenting the context of the issues involved in the talks.

He tried to portray the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a triumph, even though the waterway was open before the war — and will now be under Iranian management, likely alongside Oman.

He acknowledged that Iran will receive billions of dollars in unfrozen assets, but claimed falsely — according to Tehran — that the funds must be used to buy US commodities and goods.

He claimed a major achievement in returning International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to Iran, but did not mention that those inspections were not halted by Tehran but by Israel’s 12-day war in June 2025.

And he tried to brush away an Iranian walkout on Sunday, because of Donald Trump’s threats, that gave Tehran leverage to achieve its conditions later in the day.

J.D. Vance was putting lipstick on a pig. Weeks ago, Donald Trump and his officials accepted the Iranian agenda for the talks.

And that is still the agenda.