U.S. Vice President Says: “We Are Not at War with Iran”
(MENAFN) Following recent US airstrikes targeting Iran, Vice President JD Vance clarified on Sunday that Washington is "not at war with Iran," but rather engaged specifically against the country’s nuclear ambitions.
In an interview with a news agency, Vance stated, "We're not at war with Iran. We're at war with Iran's nuclear program."
His comments came shortly after President Donald Trump announced that US forces had executed “very successful” operations on three Iranian nuclear sites located in Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan, amid mounting fears of a potential wider conflict.
Describing the mission as "really extraordinary," Vance proclaimed, "What we did is we destroyed the Iranian nuclear program. I think we set that program back substantially."
According to Vance, Iran is now “much further away from a nuclear program” than it was just a day earlier.
Emphasizing the US desire for peace, he added, the US actually wants peace, "but clarified it must be in the context of them not having a nuclear weapons program, and that's exactly what the president accomplished last night."
Vance dismissed notions that the strikes ended diplomatic efforts, saying, "We didn't blow up the diplomacy. The diplomacy never was given a real chance by the Iranians."
Highlighting America’s readiness should Iran respond, Vance stated, adding, "But ... if the Iranians want to enlarge this by attacking American troops, I think that would be a catastrophic mistake."
He stressed that any attack on American forces would trigger an “overwhelming force” response, noting that Washington remains in a “maximum defensive posture.”
Vance reassured the public, stating, "We have no interest in a protracted conflict. We have no interest in boots on the ground."
Rejecting calls for regime change, he reiterated, "We want to end their nuclear program, and then we want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here."
On the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz, Vance warned that any Iranian move to disrupt shipping through the vital waterway would be “suicidal” for Tehran.
“If they want to destroy their own economy and cause disruptions in the world, I think that would be their decision,” he added.
Meanwhile, Iran's Parliament agreed Sunday to close the Strait of Hormuz, pending a final verdict from the Supreme National Security Council, according to Major General Esmaeil Kowsari, who sits on the parliament’s National Security Commission.
In response to the US strikes, Iran urged the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency session condemning what it called American aggression and demanding accountability for those violating international law.
The tension escalated after Israel launched airstrikes on June 13 targeting multiple Iranian sites, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to retaliate with strikes of its own.
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