Vice President JD Vance said U.S.-Iran negotiations have paved the way for a "successful final deal" between the two countries, as the preliminary agreement signed by President Donald Trump last week has garnered widespread criticism.
"We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal," Vance said. "The final deal is the house. We set the foundation. We haven't built the house, but we've laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people."
Despite the progress Vance touted, he said there's still more work to do between the two countries.
Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he will join a Labour leadership contest to succeed outgoing party leader and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation on Monday.
Starmer said he will stay on as prime minister until his successor is chosen.
"Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period. His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process," Burnham wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get," he added.
Burnham is the clear favorite to succeed Starmer after defeating a Reform UK candidate in a special election in Makerfield last week.
Wes Streeting, who recently resigned as U.K. health minister and had previously said he would join a potential leadership contest, declared he is throwing his support behind Burnham.
"We could spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him to deliver the change our Party and our country needs. That is the choice that I am making and I hope that everyone else will back Andy, too," Streeting wrote.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday morning, nearly two years after his Labour Party’s historic victory in the 2024 U.K. general election.
In a speech outside Downing Street, Starmer acknowledged that he no longer had the backing of his party.
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace,” Starmer said.
"Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party," Starmer continued, adding that he notified King Charles of his decision earlier.
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Senior negotiators from the U.S. and Iran on Monday wrapped up a lengthy round of initial talks aimed at solidifying a permanent end to the war between the countries.
The mediation effort in Switzerland started Sunday and had rocky moments. But it also led to some agreements between the two sides.
Mediators Qatar and Pakistan hailed what they called "encouraging progress" made during the talks as Iran and the United States agreed to create a "de-confliction cell" to address the fighting in Lebanon. A senior U.S. diplomat claimed progress on multiple fronts, including the establishment of "mechanisms" to ensure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy shipments, remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon holds.
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