‘An Indian and a Pakistani’: JD Vance names two ‘very important’ people in his life as PM Sharif looks on

US vice president says his wife and field marshal Asim Munir are two “most important” people in his life

US vice president JD Vance has said the two most important people in his life are an Indian and a Pakistani, naming his wife and second lady Usha Vance and Pakistan’s field marshal Asim Munir during remarks linked to US-Iran diplomatic talks in Switzerland.“I have joked that I have two very, very important people in my life. An Indian and a Pakistani. The Indian is my wife, and the Pakistani is Field Marshal Munir,” Vance said.Vance also said he has “probably talked to Munir more than anybody he’s talked in the past 3 months.”His comments were made as US and Iranian officials held their first round of negotiations at a resort in Switzerland, with mediators including delegations from Pakistan and Qatar. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also present when Vance made the remarks.The talks were described as the “Lake Lucerne Summit.” It focused on efforts to stabilise relations and build on an interim agreement.Vance said the aim of the discussions was to open a new chapter in relations with Iran. “The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” he said.The VP added: “Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently, or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but is certainly very much something that can happen.”He also described the negotiations as a rare moment in diplomacy. “We look forward to transform the Middle East instability through diplomacy and promote peace, as well as free flow of oil,” he said.Vance noted that the US and Iran had never held such high-level talks before and said the goal was to build a new relationship framework and improve regional stability.The discussions in Switzerland were aimed at formalising an interim deal that had already been signed electronically earlier in the week. The agreement is intended to reduce tensions, outline sanctions relief, and set the stage for longer-term negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.The draft framework includes commitments from Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons, along with proposals for handling enriched uranium under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. It also outlines possible sanctions relief, reconstruction funding, and steps to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.The process has faced delays and confusion. A planned formal signing ceremony in Switzerland was postponed after the agreement entered into force electronically, prompting Pakistani officials to cancel travel arrangements. Pakistan’s deputy prime minister later confirmed that the ceremony would no longer take place.Earlier, Vance had also criticised Pakistan during discussions around the release of the draft agreement, saying expectations around transparency differed across countries.“So first of all, we actually really want to get this out because it’s hard to have the conversation without the full text,” he said.He added: “And I think part of the misalignment here is that in the Pakistani and Qatari systems, they don’t quite have the First Amendment and freedom of the press. And so there isn’t this expectation that the text is going to be out there for the American people to actually interrogate and look at and analyze and understand for themselves.”The diplomatic effort comes amid continued instability in the region, including ongoing tensions involving Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon, which have complicated attempts to move forward with a lasting agreement.