In the wake of coordinated U.S. airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities, Vice President J.D. Vance sought to calm fears of a broader war, insisting Sunday that America is “not at war with Iran,” but targeting its nuclear ambitions, reported by Anadolu Agency.
Speaking on NBC, Vance defended the strikes on sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan as a decisive blow against Tehran’s atomic program. “What we did is destroy the Iranian nuclear program. I think we set that program back substantially,” he said, describing the operation as “really extraordinary.”
President Donald Trump had earlier hailed the strikes as “very successful,” amid rising tensions that began with Israeli attacks on Iranian military and nuclear targets on June 13, sparking retaliatory strikes from Tehran.
Vance emphasized that the U.S. does not seek regime change nor a long-term conflict. “We actually want peace—but peace without a nuclear-armed Iran,” he stated. He blamed Iran for undermining diplomacy, saying, “It was never given a real chance by the Iranians.”
While warning Tehran against retaliation, Vance said any attack on American forces would be a “catastrophic mistake,” adding the U.S. is in a “maximum defensive posture.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament moved to approve the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, pending a final decision from the Supreme National Security Council. Iranian officials have also called on the U.N. Security Council to condemn what they termed U.S. aggression.
Addressing the potential fallout, Vance warned that any attempt by Iran to disrupt global oil traffic would be “suicidal.”
“If they want to destroy their own economy and cause global disruption, that would be their decision,” he said.
