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Vice President Vance Says U.S. Prepared to Use Force if Iran Nuclear Talks Fail
Vice President JD Vance stated the administration prefers a negotiated nuclear agreement but will consider military action if Iran rejects verifiable limits. The comments came during a June 30 interview and referenced an existing 60-day memorandum of understanding.
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Vice President JD Vance said the United States prefers a negotiated nuclear agreement with Iran but remains prepared to use military force if Tehran refuses verifiable restrictions on its nuclear program. In an interview on The Michael Knowles Show released June 30, Vance described the U.S. approach as a choice between a longer-term deal with permanent inspections or renewed military action to preserve existing gains.
He said President Donald Trump wants diplomacy to continue only if Iran accepts enforceable limits.
Vance pointed to a 60-day memorandum of understanding that has halted open hostilities but left core disputes unresolved. He described Iran's public statements as contradictory, noting what he called a gap between Tehran's denial of peace talks and its acknowledgment of ongoing technical discussions.
"They'll say, 'No, no, there aren't peace talks ongoing, but there are technical talks between the United States and Iran about the peace deal,'" Vance said.
U.S. military and regional experts said the current 60-day arrangement is unlikely to become a lasting peace agreement and will probably require repeated extensions. Ongoing instability continues to threaten Gulf security, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and regional economies despite the pause in major fighting.
