Vance says Iran must make meaningful enrichment cut to end seven-month war
In short
US Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to end the seven-month war, adding that Washington would not “trade words for actions.” Vance said the US is uncertain who holds decision-making power in Tehran, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry blamed the Trump administration for failing to negotiate in good faith. The US and Iran have exchanged proposals aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump has rejected Tehran’s latest offer.
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US Vice President JD Vance said Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries’ seven-month war, in an exclusive interview with Reuters. The New York Post reported that Vance spoke on Monday after a campaign trip in Alaska; The Hill said the interview took place on Tuesday while Vance was stumping for Republican candidates in Alaska. The two outlets agree on the substance of his remarks. [ 7 , 8 ]
Vance framed enrichment as a threshold question. He asked why Iran would need 60% enriched fuel if it does not want a nuclear weapon, and said that if Iran wants to show commitment to not building one, it should not build highly enriched fuel. “I think if they want to show a commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, they would do something meaningful on their enrichment capacity,” he said. He added that the US would require concrete concessions: “We’re not going to trade words for actions.” [ 7 , 8 ]
According to the New York Post, any agreement would require Iran to reduce its enrichment capacity rather than offer assurances of future nuclear drawdowns. The US and Iran have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route, but Trump rejected Tehran’s latest offer and has warned that military operations could intensify after the November midterms. The New York Post said the war has jolted global energy markets and become a political liability for President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans ahead of those elections. [ 7 ]
Vance, described by the New York Post as a longtime skeptic of US involvement in foreign wars, has taken a leading role in negotiating a settlement and brokered a provisional peace agreement in June that quickly fell apart. He said the US remained open to an agreement. [ 7 ]
Vance also said Washington is uncertain who makes decisions in Tehran. He said the US was in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, but it was unclear how much authority they wield within Iran’s power structure. The Hill described the negotiations as at an impasse over what the US argues is confusion over who holds decision-making power in the Islamic Republic, alongside tit-for-tat military strikes trying to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. [ 7 , 8 ]
Iran’s Foreign Ministry pushed back on US criticism of a leadership crisis and blamed the Trump administration for failing to negotiate in good faith. “The problem is actually the opposite: it lies in the contradictory positions and mixed messaging from US officials,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said at a weekly press conference, according to Reuters. [ 8 ]
The Hill reported that the US launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28 with the stated goal of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon, and that Iran has imposed costs on the US and global economy by threatening shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, choking off a maritime route it said carries about 20 percent of world traffic. [ 8 ]
Why it matters
The conflict has jolted global energy markets and become a political liability for President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans ahead of November midterm elections, according to the New York Post. The Strait of Hormuz is described as a vital global energy shipping route, and Iran’s threat to shipping there has imposed costs on the US and global economy, The Hill reported. Whether the talks advance depends on concessions the documents say have not yet been agreed.
Key facts
- Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the war. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- Vance said: “If you don’t want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60% enriched fuel?” [ 7 , 8 ]
- Vance said the US is “not going to trade words for actions” and would require concrete Iranian nuclear concessions. [ 7 ]
- Vance said the US was in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi but was uncertain how much authority they wield in Iran’s power structure. [ 7 ]
- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the problem “lies in the contradictory positions and mixed messaging from US officials,” according to Reuters. [ 8 ]
- The US and Iran have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and Trump rejected Tehran’s latest offer. [ 7 ]
- The New York Post said the war has lasted seven months and was launched by the US on Feb. 28 with the stated goal of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon, according to The Hill. [ 7 , 8 ]
- Vance said Washington is uncertain who makes decisions in Tehran. [ 7 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Vice President JD Vance said Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to end the war, in an interview with Reuters. [ 1 , 7 , 8 ]
- Vance said Iran’s 60% enriched fuel and any highly enriched fuel are a “basic threshold issue” for showing commitment not to build a nuclear weapon. [ 7 , 8 ]
- The US and Iran have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. [ 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the interview took place on Monday or Tuesday. The New York Post says Vance spoke on Monday after a campaign trip in Alaska, while The Hill says he gave the interview on Tuesday while stumping for Republican candidates in Alaska.
- Who holds decision-making power in Iran. Vance said Washington is uncertain how much authority President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wield within Iran’s power structure, and The Hill described the talks as at an impasse over what the US argues is confusion over who holds decision-making power.
- Whether Iran will offer concessions on enrichment capacity. Vance’s remarks describe a US condition for an agreement; the documents do not state any Iranian commitment to meet it.
- The state of the Strait of Hormuz and shipping traffic. The documents say proposals aim to reopen the strait and that Iran has threatened shipping routes, but give no current status for the waterway.
- Iran’s Foreign Ministry pushed back on US criticism, with spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei blaming contradictory US positions and mixed messaging, Reuters reported. Reported by a single source so far
- The US launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28 with the stated goal of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon, according to The Hill. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Reuters publishes its report that Vance said Iran must cut enrichment to end the war. [ 1 ]
- Reuters publishes the transcript of the Vance interview in Alaska. [ 2 ]
- Reuters carries the same report in Portuguese. [ 3 ]
- Reuters carries the report in French. [ 4 ]
- Reuters carries the report in Spanish. [ 5 ]
- Reuters carries the report in German. [ 6 ]
- The New York Post publishes its account of the interview, saying Vance spoke on Monday after a campaign trip in Alaska. [ 7 ]
- The Hill publishes its report, saying the interview was on Tuesday and that Iran’s Foreign Ministry pushed back. [ 8 ]