Vice President JD Vance offered his perspective on the unique negotiation tactics employed by Iran and their approach towards the peace talks with the U.S.

In an interview with conservative commentator Michael Knowles on Tuesday, Vance expressed his intrigue over Iran's constant denial of ongoing peace talks while simultaneously acknowledging technical discussions with the U.S. about a peace deal.

"One of the things I find just fascinating and frustrating," said Vance.

The Vice President referred to this as a "Persian negotiating tactic and a Persian rhetorical device," a strategy he recognizes as typically Iranian but said that he doesn't fully understand.

"That is the way that the Iranians have done this," he said.

Vance also shed light on the current strategy of the U.S. administration regarding the issue, which he said is "underappreciated." Vance pointed out that President Donald Trump's approach is to constantly "reshuffle the deck" to identify leverage and pressure points, and then evaluate potential areas of progress.

In another interview on Tuesday with Fox News, Vance stated, "We care a lot less about what the Iranians say. We care a lot more about what they do," while discussing the positive and negative aspects of the negotiations.

Vance's remarks come in the wake of Iran's refusal to engage in direct talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, saying any communication will go through Qatari mediators. The decision raises uncertainty over a 60-day negotiating framework aimed at preserving the ceasefire and advancing talks on Iran's nuclear program and regional security.

Iran's 'Bazaar Style' Diplomacy

Notably, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Tehran's approach in his 2025 Persian political memoir Negotiations: the Power of Diplomacy, later translated into English, as a "bazaar style" of diplomacy, one that relies on continuous, patient, and relentless bargaining. Drawing on memories of his mother's bartering skills, he wrote that the process demands endurance, arguing that the one who gets tired and bored quickly would lose, reported Reuters in February.

Araghchi also wrote that successful bargaining depends on repeatedly restating the same demands with different arguments while remaining patient and persistent. He said negotiators keep presenting examples and reasoning until the other side "gets numb" and agrees. The approach, he suggested, helps Iran prolong negotiations, maintain ambiguity, resist pressure, and seek gradual concessions despite military disadvantages.

Aurélien Colson of ESSEC Business School told The Independent that Iran's negotiating approach deliberately prolongs talks to expose the other side's impatience, divisions, or bottom line. He contrasts this with Trump's "Art of the Deal," which prioritizes speed, high-profile negotiations, and quick agreements, while Iran emphasizes patience, ambiguity, repetition, and wearing down its counterpart.