By The South Asia Times

BÜRGENSTOCK, Switzerland -  US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday hailed Pakistan's military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir as a pivotal figure behind the diplomatic breakthrough that brought the United States and Iran to direct negotiations, describing him as a military leader who had demonstrated exceptional statesmanship and diplomatic skill.

Speaking at the opening of high-level talks between American and Iranian delegations in Switzerland, Vance said the negotiations would not have been possible without the efforts of Pakistan's military chief.

"I've probably talked to Field Marshal Munir more than I've talked to anybody else over the last three months," Vance said. "We would not be here without his statesmanship. He is a military leader, but I think he showed himself to be a great diplomat."

The vice president added that Munir had played an important role in bringing the parties together and described him as "an amazing friend of the United States."

Vance also paid tribute to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, crediting him and his government with helping steer the negotiations that ultimately led to the current talks.

"To the Prime Minister of Pakistan, a dear friend of the President, a dear friend of mine, a guy who has been with his leadership and his very careful and skilled negotiation has got us to this point," Vance said.

The talks in Bürgenstock follow weeks of diplomacy under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, brokered with the support of Pakistan and Qatar after months of regional tensions.

Vance said US President Donald Trump had empowered American negotiators to pursue a diplomatic solution to issues affecting both regional and global security.

"The opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the ending of the Iranian nuclear program — all of these things have already been accomplished," he said. "The question before us now is, how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?"

The US vice president said Washington's goal was to transform relations in the Middle East through diplomacy and cooperation rather than confrontation.

"What we're trying to accomplish here is very simple — through diplomacy, through working together to transform the Middle East," he said. "Now we see a future where everybody can work together to promote peace and prosperity for everyone."

Vance argued that regional stability had already produced tangible benefits, including lower energy prices and the restoration of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil transit routes.

He described the gathering in Switzerland as a historic moment.

"Never before outside of Islamabad, and certainly never before in recent history, have the Iranian and American leadership met at such a high level," he said.

According to Vance, the Trump administration is seeking a long-term transformation in relations with Tehran, provided Iran abandons what he described as policies that fuel regional instability and permanently gives up ambitions to develop nuclear weapons.

"If Iran's leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability, if they are willing to give up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with Iran," he said. "That is certainly our goal."

Vance said negotiations had already produced encouraging results.

"We've already made great progress over just the last few hours, and I expect that we'll make additional progress in the hours to come," he said.

The talks are expected to focus on technical arrangements for implementing commitments made under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which mediators hope will lay the foundation for a broader and more durable regional peace framework.