Did Qatar PM snub JD Vance? Viral video from US-Iran talks sparks speculation

Posted on by Taiwo Adebulu

3 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026 03:05 PM IST

A video clip from the latest US-Iran talks, held in Switzerland, is doing the rounds on the internet, in which Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani appears to greet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while seemingly ignoring US Vice President JD Vance.

The viral footage showed Sheikh Mohammed approaching the delegation and exchanging greetings with Sharif before turning to others in the group. The brief, seemingly awkward moment left Vance waiting momentarily, sparking widespread discussions on the internet, with social media users calling the interaction a diplomatic snub.

full video clips here

The viral footage emerged from the high-level quadrilateral meeting involving the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Bürgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

The diplomats from the countries gathered for discussions aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

US official rejects reports of Qatari PM ‘snubbing’ Vance

A US official, on Sunday (Jun 21), dismissed reports of Qatari PM snubbing the US vice president at the Lake Lucerne Summit, calling the footage “complete nonsense”.

“This is complete nonsense,” the official told Fox News of the clip.

“The US delegation had just spent hours with the Qataris, and there was no need to re-greet someone after having just spent hours with him,” the official said.

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“The decision to give statements together before the meeting was done impromptu, which is why it wasn’t a staged greeting,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Qatari PM shared a photo with Vance on his X handle highlighting engagement with the US delegation.

“Live from Lucerne, work continues with @VP & @jaredkushner,” Al Thani said in a post shared on X.

The first round of direct talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland concluded on Monday. The mediators Qatar and Pakistan hailed the negotiations as “encouraging progress” despite the talks being rattled by public threats from President Donald Trump and a temporary walkout by Iranian negotiators.

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