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FAIRBANKS, Alaska: US Vice President JD Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters that Iran must make a \u201cmeaningful\u201d reduction in \u200bits nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries\u2019 seven-month war, even as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negotiations.<\/p>\n
Vance, a longtime skeptic of US involvement in foreign wars, has taken a leading role in negotiating a settlement to the conflict and brokered a provisional peace agreement in September that quickly fell apart. The war has jolted global energy markets and become a political liability for President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans ahead of November midterm elections.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Monday after a campaign trip in Alaska, Vance said any agreement would require Iran to reduce its nuclear enrichment capacity, rather than offer assurances of future nuclear drawdowns.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60 percent enriched \u200cfuel? And if \u200cyou want to show commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, don\u2019t build \u200bhighly \u200cenriched \u2060fuel. That\u2019s a \u200bvery \u2060basic threshold issue,\u201d Vance said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think if they want to show a commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, they would do something meaningful on their enrichment capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iran and the US 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\u2019s latest offer and has warned that military operations could intensify after the midterms.<\/p>\n
Vance said the US remained open to an agreement but would require concrete Iranian nuclear concessions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not going to trade words for actions,\u201d Vance said.<\/p>\n
UNCLEAR HOW IRAN MAKES DECISIONS: VANCE<\/strong><\/p>\n Complicating matters, Vance said Washington is uncertain \u2060who makes decisions in Tehran.<\/p>\n Vance said the US was in talks with Iranian President \u200cMasoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. But it was unclear how much authority \u200cthey wield within Iran\u2019s power structure, he said, after joint US-Israeli strikes \u200bat the start of the war killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah \u200cAli Khamenei.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things we picked up on is it\u2019s not totally clear how their country makes decisions,\u201d \u200cVance said. Separately, Trump said on Tuesday his \u201cbiggest problem\u201d is no one knows who is running Iran.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that US officials are well aware of who their Iranian counterparts are and how Iran\u2019s decision-making system works.<\/p>\n \u201cThe problem is actually the opposite: it lies in the contradictory positions and mixed messaging from US officials,\u201d Esmaeil Baghaei told a weekly press conference.<\/p>\n Vance told Reuters he \u200chas held personal conversations with field commanders to gauge battlefield conditions. He dismissed concerns over critical munitions shortages and added that while Iranian troops are periodically able to strike \u2060commercial ships in the Strait \u2060of Hormuz, they are largely unable to prevent energy exports through the waterway.<\/p>\n The war \u2014 and its $3 billion monthly price tag \u2014 has become a key issue on the campaign trail. Higher energy prices have put Trump and Republicans on the defensive in competitive states that will decide control of Congress.<\/p>\n Vance has sought to temper criticism of Trump\u2019s handling of the conflict, telling voters they should not let that issue keep them from backing Republicans in next month\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n In Alaska, Vance rallied for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is locked in a tight reelection battle with Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. Trump carried Alaska by 13 percentage points in 2024, but rising everyday costs have put the state in play.<\/p>\n Before speaking with Reuters, Vance focused much of his speech on affordability concerns, especially around energy. Alaska\u2019s remote locale makes consumer goods more expensive, and energy production is a key industry.<\/p>\n Rally attendees roared when Sullivan nearly introduced Vance as the president of the US, rather than the \u200bvice president. Vance is seen as a leading Republican \u200bcontender to succeed Trump in the White House.<\/p>\n Vance told Reuters afterward that he had not decided whether to seek the presidency in 2028.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m inherently a procrastinator,\u201d he said. \u201cI really haven\u2019t thought about it much.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n