US Vice President JD Vance says Washington is unsure whether the Iran war will end before November’s midterm elections while defending US pressure on Tehran.
WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance said he does not know whether the war with Iran will end before the United States holds its midterm elections in November, offering no clear timeline for the conflict.
Speaking at a White House media briefing, Vance said China was prepared to cooperate with US efforts to economically isolate Iran. He described Beijing as a potentially important player because China is a major buyer of Iranian oil.
Vance said China’s role could be significant in Washington’s efforts to increase economic pressure on Tehran, while acknowledging Beijing’s existing energy ties with Iran.
The vice president also attributed higher oil prices to attacks on Iranian oil tankers and claimed that Iran’s effective control over a strategic waterway had been lost. He said the United States would not engage in talks with Tehran as long as Iran continued firing on ships.
Vance also claimed that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had returned to levels close to those recorded before the war.
Addressing reports of an attack on a wedding ceremony in Iran, Vance said the United States does not target civilians during military operations. He expressed doubts about reports carried by Iranian state media and said US Central Command was investigating the incident.
Vance also defended the administration’s position on Iran-related information, urging caution over reports circulating on social media and information originating from Iranian sources.
The briefing marked the first formal White House press briefing in several weeks in which Vance answered questions from reporters following former press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s departure from the position.
His comments come as the administration continues to defend its approach to Iran while facing questions over the duration of the conflict, oil supplies and the impact of military operations on civilian populations.
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