Middle East crisis live: Vance says 60-day-period to reach final peace agreement starts today and US ‘isn’t giving up a cent’ to Iran

JD Vance has said that the 60-day period in which to reach a final agreement with Iran has started today. “I would say the 60-day period officially started today. It was signed late, and it may have even been signed technically, you know, because of the time shift, I think it’s signed technically today, Iran time,” he said during a press briefing at the White House on Thursday. If this is true, that would set a deadline for the final agreement between Iran and the United States as 17 August. The interim pact signed by President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders kicked the hardest issues down the road ⁠to the next phase of negotiations, with no ​guarantee ​they will ever ​be resolved, Reuters reports. Most analysts are sceptical ​the two ‌sides can ​forge ​a final settlement within the 60-day window laid out in the memorandum of understanding. Vance also confirms that Congress is due to be briefed about the agreement with Iran soon. “We do plan to brief Congress very soon,” Vance told reporters in the White House briefing room. In the same press briefing, he said he is “not at all” worried about being blamed for any potential fall out of the agreement with Iran. JD Vance holds a press briefing at the White House in Washington. Photograph: Eric Lee/Reuters