U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said Iran must make a substantial reduction in its uranium-enrichment capabilities to meet Washington’s demands and bring an ongoing war between the two countries to an end, while acknowledging that the United States remains uncertain about how decisions are being made in Tehran.
Vance, who has long questioned U.S. involvement in foreign wars, has played a leading role in efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict. He helped broker an interim agreement in September that quickly collapsed.
The war has shaken global energy markets and become a political burden for President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans ahead of November’s congressional midterm elections.
Speaking in an interview on Monday following a campaign trip to Alaska, Vance said any agreement would require Iran to reduce its current nuclear enrichment capacity, rather than merely promise to reduce its nuclear capabilities in the future.
“If you don’t want a nuclear weapon, why do you need fuel enriched to 60%?” Vance said. He added that if Iran wanted to demonstrate its commitment to not developing a nuclear weapon, it should stop producing highly enriched fuel.
“I think if they want to demonstrate their commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, they will take concrete steps on their enrichment capabilities,” he said.
Iran and the United States have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route. Trump rejected Tehran’s latest proposal and warned that military operations could escalate after the midterm elections.
Vance said Washington remains open to reaching an agreement but would demand tangible Iranian nuclear concessions. “We are not going to substitute words for actions,” he said.
Uncertainty Over Decision-Making in Tehran
Vance said the situation was further complicated by Washington’s uncertainty over who is making decisions in Tehran.
He said the United States is holding talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, but it remains unclear how much authority they have within Iran’s power structure following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes at the beginning of the war.
“One of the things we’ve noticed is that it’s not entirely clear how their country makes decisions,” Vance said.
Trump also said on Tuesday that his “biggest problem” was that no one knows who is running Iran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Sunday that U.S. officials know very well who their Iranian counterparts are and how Iran’s decision-making system operates.
“The problem is actually exactly the opposite,” Baghaei said at a weekly news conference, arguing that it lies in contradictory positions and mixed messages coming from U.S. officials.
Vance said he had personally spoken with military commanders to assess conditions on the battlefield. He dismissed concerns over severe ammunition shortages, saying that while Iranian forces occasionally manage to strike commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, they are largely unable to prevent energy exports through the waterway.
The war, which costs about $3 billion a month, has become a major issue in the election campaign. Rising energy prices have forced Trump and Republicans to defend their position in competitive states that could determine control of Congress.
Vance sought to ease criticism of Trump’s handling of the conflict, telling voters that the issue should not prevent them from supporting Republicans in next month’s elections.
In Alaska, Vance held a rally in support of Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is facing a close reelection contest against Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. Trump won Alaska by 13 percentage points in 2024, but rising everyday living costs have made the state’s outcome less certain.
Before the interview, Vance devoted much of his speech to concerns over affordability, particularly energy costs. Alaska’s remote location makes consumer goods more expensive, while energy production is a major industry in the state.
Crowds at the rally cheered when Sullivan nearly introduced Vance as president of the United States rather than vice president. Vance is widely viewed as one of the leading Republican contenders to succeed Trump in the White House.
Vance later said he had not yet decided whether to run for president in 2028.
“I’m naturally someone who tends to be cautious. I really haven’t thought about it very much,” he said.
Source: Reuters
