Vance says Trump never aimed to install Iran's Pahlavi

US Vice President JD Vance has dismissed speculation that the Trump administration sought regime change in Tehran through the installation of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's former monarch. In an interview with Megyn Kelly on YouTube, Vance clarified that Washington's primary objectives were strictly limited to halting Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Conditional approach to regional peace

"The president of the United States never said that his goal was to install Reza Pahlavi to become the new leader of Iran," Vance stated. "What he said is, if the Iranian people want to rise up... great; that's their business… that's between them and their government." The vice president added that the US pursued the cessation of Iran's nuclear programme "either through diplomatic means or through military means, as he ultimately went down that pathway."

Economic incentives tied to compliance

Vance characterised the agreement as "a regional peace deal" extending beyond Iran to encompass Gulf states, Israel and Lebanon. He emphasised that economic benefits would only materialise if Tehran complies with its commitments. "The idea is that if the Iranians comply, then we're going to have a true transformative deal for the Middle East, and if not, they don't get any economic benefits," he explained. Vance also rejected comparisons to the Marshall Plan, noting that the accord involves no US taxpayer funding and requires behavioural change before any benefits are delivered.

Verification and inspections framework

"If they want the benefits of the bargain, enrichment is going to be on the table, and more importantly, verification and inspections are going to be on the table," Vance said. The memorandum of understanding, signed electronically on Sunday, includes provisions for ending military operations across all fronts and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while establishing a pathway for negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme linked to sanctions relief. President Trump, speaking at the G7 summit in France, pledged to release the full text and read it "word by word" at an upcoming press conference. The formal signing ceremony is scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland.