JD Vance Rules Out Iran Talks Until Ship Attacks Stop
US Vice President JD Vance has said Washington will not negotiate with Iran while Tehran continues attacking commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz. He also declined to give a timeline for when the seven-month confrontation could end, saying the answer depended largely on Iran’s actions.
Vance Rules Out Iran Talks Over Ship Attacks
Speaking at the White House, Vance said the United States had no diplomatic talks underway with Iran and would not begin negotiations while commercial vessels continued to come under attack.
Asked when the confrontation might end, Vance said he could not predict when Iran would stop targeting ships.
Washington has made protecting commercial oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz a central objective as disruptions to maritime traffic continue to affect global energy markets.
Vance Says US Has Ended Major Combat Operations
Vance rejected describing the current US-Iran confrontation as an ongoing war, saying Washington had already ended major combat operations.
He acknowledged that fighting had flared up in some areas but argued that there was no continuous active shooting at present.
The United States still maintains more than 50,000 troops in the Middle East and has deployed nearly 20 warships as part of its regional military presence.
US-Iran Attacks Flare Up Again
The comments followed a fresh exchange of attacks after a period of relative calm.
The United States carried out airstrikes against what it described as Iranian military targets along the coast after accusing Tehran of attacking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The renewed escalation has pushed oil prices higher and added political pressure on the Trump administration ahead of the US midterm elections.
With no negotiations currently underway, there remains no clear diplomatic pathway or timetable for formally ending the confrontation.
