In a recent interview, Vice President JD Vance addressed the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran following military actions targeting Iranian nuclear sites.
During the episode of NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Vance stated that the U.S. is not at war with Iran itself, but rather with Tehran’s nuclear weapons program.
This assertion came on the heels of President Donald Trump’s announcement that the U.S. military had launched bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities, marking the first direct military engagement against Iran by the U.S.
These developments have raised alarms regarding the potential for a broader conflict.
In a response to questions concerning whether the U.S. military actions indicated a state of war with Iran, Vance said, “We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.”
He further hesitated to confirm with absolute certainty that the nuclear sites had been completely destroyed.
Instead, Vance emphasized his belief that the U.S. has significantly delayed Iran’s capabilities to develop a nuclear weapon through these strikes.
When pressed by moderator Kristen Welker about the effectiveness of the strikes, Vance chose to keep sensitive intelligence about the damage under wraps, stating, “I feel very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon, and that was the goal of this attack.”
In a separate interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” when asked about the state of the Fordo facility, Vance refrained from differentiating between severely damaged and fully obliterated.
He stated, “Severely damaged versus obliterated — I’m not exactly sure what the difference is. What we know is we set their nuclear program back substantially.”
President Trump had claimed in his address to the nation that Iran’s nuclear facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated.”
Conversely, an Iranian parliament member later countered this statement, asserting that the Fordo facility was not critically harmed by the strikes.
The situation remained ambiguous, as NBC News was unable to independently verify claims from either side.
Trump indicated that Iran, known as the “bully of the Middle East,” must now seek peace following the strikes.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced the narrative in a Sunday briefing, asserting that Iran’s nuclear ambitions had been obliterated.
As the briefing continued, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine remarked that thorough assessments of the battle damage would take time but indicated that all targeted sites had sustained significant destruction.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by stating that Iran “reserves all options” regarding its retaliation strategy.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Trump warned on Truth Social that any Iranian retaliation against the U.S. would be met with overwhelming force.
As tensions flared after the U.S. attack, Vance noted that the U.S. had received some indirect communications from Iran suggesting a possible response.
When asked about the implications should Iran disrupt shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Vance cautioned that such actions would be “suicidal” for Iran, stating that it would harm their own economy.
“Their entire economy runs through the Strait of Hormuz. If they want to destroy their own economy and cause disruptions in the world, I think that would be their decision,” he remarked.
Emphasizing a desire for peace, Vance expressed that the U.S. would be open to diplomatic efforts contingent upon Iran abandoning its nuclear weapons ambitions.
He criticized Iran’s efforts at diplomacy as inadequate and suggested they should follow President Trump’s lead in pursuit of peace.
The U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear installations was triggered by earlier strikes from Israel on these facilities, prompting retaliatory actions from Iran against Israeli targets.
Both nations have found themselves in a heightened military conflict as a result of the ongoing exchanges.
Initially, the U.S. had denied involvement in the attacks, yet soon after, dialogue shifted towards the potential for more direct U.S. military support for Israel.
The U.S. possesses specialized bunker-busting munitions capable of penetrating fortified sites like Fordo, which poses another layer to the complexities of ongoing military strategies.
Political responses to Trump’s actions have largely split along party lines.
Some Democratic lawmakers, alongside a few within the Republican Party, voiced concerns regarding the constitutional basis for the strikes without congressional approval, referencing the War Powers Act.
Conversely, Senator Lindsey Graham dismissed these concerns, underscoring that military command resides with the president and not Congress.
“Congress can declare war or cut off funding. We can’t be the commander-in-chief. You can’t have 535 commander-in-chiefs,” he stated.
In contrast, Senator Mark Kelly expressed that the president maintains the right to respond militarily in scenarios where a clear threat to U.S. citizens or homeland is evident.
“That wasn’t the case here,” he concluded, presenting further divisions on the decision to launch strikes against Iran.
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