US Vice President JD Vance told Reuters that Iran must make a "meaningful" cut to its nuclear enrichment capacity to end the seven-month war with the United States. Speaking from Alaska, Vance said Washington remains unsure who actually holds decision-making power in Tehran, while the conflict's rising cost is becoming a liability for Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections.
Iran must cut its nuclear enrichment capacity if it wants the seven-month war with the United States to end, Vice President JD Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters on Monday. Vance, who brokered a provisional peace deal in September that collapsed quickly, said Tehran would need to reduce enrichment rather than merely promise future nuclear drawdowns.
According to Reuters: "We're not going to trade words for actions," Vance said, rejecting assurances in place of concrete steps. Iran and the US have traded proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump rejected Tehran's latest offer and warned that military operations could intensify after the midterms.
Who speaks for Tehran
Vance said Washington is uncertain who actually makes decisions inside Iran. The US has held talks with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, but it remains unclear how much authority they hold since joint US-Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the war. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei countered that US officials know exactly who their counterparts are, and that mixed messaging from Washington is the real obstacle.
A costly war at home
The war carries a $3 billion monthly price tag and has jolted global energy markets, feeding the affordability concerns Vance addressed before speaking with Reuters. Higher energy prices have put Trump and Republicans on the defensive in competitive states that will decide control of Congress, adding a layer of geopolitical risk to the midterm campaign.
Vance used his Alaska trip to rally for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, locked in a tight race against Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, in a state Trump carried by 13 points in 2024. Asked whether he would run for president in 2028, Vance said he had not decided, describing himself as a procrastinator who has not given it much thought.
Source: Investing.com
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