by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest, Hungary
BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – U.S. Vice President JD Vance said a fragile ceasefire with Iran could hold if Tehran follows through on commitments to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while warning the situation remains uncertain.
Speaking in Budapest, Vance said Iran had agreed to steps aimed at easing tensions after what he described as successful U.S. military pressure, but cautioned that any truce could still collapse.
The remarks came shortly after U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced a temporary ceasefire tied to reopening the strategic waterway.
“The Iranians are better negotiators than they are fighters,” Vance said, adding that responses within Iran had been mixed.
Vance pointed to remarks by Iran’s foreign minister as a sign of possible progress.
IRAN TRUCE REMAINS UNCERTAIN
“On the one hand, you have people within Iran who have responded very favorably, including the foreign minister who said, ‘Look, we agreed to the United States’ terms, we’ll do a ceasefire, we’ll open the Strait of Hormuz, and we’ll see if we can come to more agreement down the road,’” Vance said.
However, he warned that other voices in Iran were undermining the agreement.
“You have some people… who are basically lying about what we’ve accomplished militarily… and about the nature of the ceasefire,” he added.
Vance stressed the deal was only hours old and depended on Iran acting “in good faith,” warning that failure could trigger renewed pressure using U.S. military, diplomatic, and economic leverage.
Turning to Ukraine, Vance urged Kyiv and Moscow to seek an end to the war, questioning whether continued fighting over limited territory was worth the cost in lives.
URGES END TO UKRAINE WAR
“We’re talking about a few square kilometers… Is that worth losing hundreds of thousands of young men?” he said, adding that prolonged conflict risks further economic damage and energy instability.
“We think the answer is clearly no… but it takes two to tango.”
He also criticized Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying the Ukrainian president had “threatened” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
According to Vance, Zelenskyy suggested sending “soldiers to his address” if Hungary does not support Ukraine’s further European Union integration and financial aid to Kyiv, calling such remarks “completely unacceptable.”
Vance also indirectly rebuked Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar, who has accused the United States of interfering in Hungary’s elections scheduled for Sunday, April 12.
He acknowledged that his visit aimed to show support for longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose Fidesz party is trailing Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party in most opinion polls.
POLITICAL TENSIONS IN HUNGARY
“It’s unprecedented for an American vice president to come the week before an election. The reason why we’re doing it is because we thought there was so much garbage happening against Viktor in this election that we had to show that there are actually a lot of people… who recognize that Viktor and his government are doing a good job,” he said.
He contrasted Washington’s approach with what he described as pressure tactics by the European Union.
“I’ve also been told that the vice president of the United States coming and saying that Viktor Orbán is doing a good job… that’s foreign influence. But what’s not foreign influence is when the European Union threatens billions of euros withheld from Hungary because you guys protect your borders,” Vance said.
He added that Hungarians should instead focus on “bureaucrats in Brussels,” whom he accused of using financial pressure to influence voters.
UNIVERSITY FUNDING AND U.S. POLICY
The European Union has criticized Viktor Orbán’s perceived authoritarian style, including his government’s influence over education.
However, JD Vance praised Hungary’s approach to linking public funding to institutions such as universities, arguing that taxpayers should have a say in how their money is used.
“You can say whatever you want, but you’re not entitled to taxpayer funding if you’re advocating violence or civil unrest,” he said.
Referring to the United States, he said recent reforms ended practices he described as discriminatory, including admissions policies that treated students differently based on “skin color.”
“That’s a violation of the American Constitution… and basic morality,” Vance said.
VISIT TO BUDAPEST
Vance made the remarks during a visit to the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, an influential conservative educational institution in Budapest.
His whirlwind tour to the Hungarian capital, accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, concluded Wednesday.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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