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Vance said the US was still open to a deal but would seek concrete action from Tehran rather than promises about future nuclear limits.
US Vice President JD Vance is interviewed by Reuters reporter Jacob Bogage before a campaign rally at Fairbanks International Airport in Fairbanks, Alaska. (AFP photo)
US Vice President JD Vance has told Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity for Washington to agree to an end to the seven-month war between the two countries.
In an exclusive interview, Vance said the US was still open to a deal but would seek concrete action from Tehran rather than promises about future nuclear limits.
“If you don’t want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60% enriched fuel?” Vance said. “If you want to show commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, don’t build highly enriched fuel. That’s a very basic threshold issue.”
“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 added.
US Seeks Concrete Nuclear Concessions
Iran and the US have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.
US President Donald Trump has rejected Tehran’s latest proposal and warned that military operations could intensify after the November midterm elections.
Vance, who has played a central role in efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict, said Washington would not accept verbal assurances alone.
“We’re not going to trade words for actions,” he said.
The war has disrupted energy markets and increased pressure on the Trump administration as higher fuel prices become a political issue ahead of the US midterms.
Vance Questions Iran’s Decision-Making
Vance also said Washington remained uncertain about who ultimately makes key decisions in Tehran.
The US has been negotiating with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, but Vance questioned how much authority they have within Iran’s political system.
“One of the things we picked up on is it’s not totally clear how their country makes decisions,” he said.
Iran rejected that assessment. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said US officials know who their Iranian counterparts are and understand Iran’s decision-making system.
“The problem is actually the opposite: it lies in the contradictory positions and mixed messaging from US officials,” Baghaei said.
Vance also told Reuters that he had spoken with US field commanders about the war and dismissed concerns over shortages of critical munitions.
He said Iranian forces could still strike commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz but were largely unable to stop energy exports through the waterway.
Vance said he had not decided whether he would run for president in 2028, saying: “I’m inherently a procrastinator. I really haven’t thought about it much.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Ask News18US Vice President JD Vance stated that Iran must make a meaningful reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity, specifically questioning why they need 60 percent enriched fuel if they do not want a nuclear weapon.
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