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Vice President JD Vance stated on Sunday that the United States is not at war with Iran, but is engaged in a conflict aimed directly at curbing the Iranian nuclear program, which he claimed has been significantly hindered by recent U.S. military strikes.
During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Vance commended President Donald Trump for his decisive actions against the program. He expressed immense gratitude towards U.S. military personnel who executed the operation, noting that they traveled thousands of miles on a non-stop flight lasting 30 hours, without landing, before dropping an enormous 30,000-pound bomb on a target roughly the size of a washing machine.
Vance remarked, “No military in the world has the training, the skills, and the equipment to achieve what these troops accomplished last night. Both the president and I take pride in their actions. What they achieved aligns with a fundamental American national objective: Iran must not possess a nuclear weapons program. Thanks to the bravery and effectiveness of our pilots and the entire support crew, we have made a significant advancement towards this objective last night.”
The vice president was cautious about revealing sensitive details regarding the mission, which purportedly involved 125 aircraft.
As the discussion progressed, ABC’s Jonathan Karl probed Vance on whether he could definitively confirm the destruction of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Vance cautiously replied, “I hesitate to share sensitive intelligence, but it’s clear that we have substantially disrupted the Iranian nuclear program. Regardless of whether it’s measured in years or longer, it’s evident that Iran faces a lengthy setback before they can even contemplate building a nuclear weapon again.”
When pressed on how extensive the damage was, Vance maintained his discretion about sensitive intelligence matters but expressed confidence in the mission’s successes. He stated, “I assure the American people that Iran is considerably further from achieving a nuclear program now than they were just 24 hours ago.”
He added, “The mission’s objective was to destroy the Fordow nuclear site while also inflicting damage on additional facilities. We are confident that we have considerably hampered the Fordow site, which was our primary goal.”
In a separate interview on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” Vance indicated that the U.S. had attempted diplomatic engagement with Iran without success until around mid-May. During this time, President Trump opted to issue private ultimatums to Iranian leadership.
Concerning potential Iranian retaliation for the airstrikes, Vance warned, “For the Iranians to respond would be the most foolish decision they could make. Our mission involved an incredibly targeted, precise surgical strike focused on specific nuclear facilities identified as threats to American interests. Our national objective remains to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Should the Iranians decide to escalate by attacking American troops, they would indeed make a catastrophic error.”
Vance reiterated the message emphasized by Trump during his address from the White House late Saturday night. Trump conveyed that while the United States desires a peaceful resolution for Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, he firmly stated that possession of nuclear weapons by Iran is off the table.
“The U.S. will never permit Iran to have a nuclear arsenal. They must choose their path wisely,” Vance explained. “Will they continue down the pathway of conflict, funding terrorism, and striving for nuclear weaponry? Or will they opt to cooperate with us to permanently abandon their nuclear pursuits? Those who select a constructive path will find a willing partner in the United States when it comes to dismantling their nuclear capabilities.”
Vance also issued a stern warning regarding future actions.
“If they decide to attack our troops or persist in their nuclear ambitions, we will respond with overwhelming force. The next steps lie entirely in the hands of the Iranians,” he stated.
In his Saturday night address, Trump cautioned that any Iranian retaliation against the United States would provoke a response of significantly greater scale than the strikes executed that evening. The U.S. military conducted extensive precision strikes targeting three crucial nuclear facilities within the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump stated these sites have long been engaged in a
