Vance says US is using diplomatic, military, economic tools to pressure Iran

US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the US is using diplomatic, military, and economic tools to pressure Iran, with preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and maintaining energy price stability among Washington’s key objectives.

Speaking to Fox News, Vance said he was confident the confrontation would end with the US “in a stronger position,” Iran without a nuclear weapon, and the Strait of Hormuz returned to conditions that allow stable oil and gas prices.

He acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Washington’s approach to Tehran, saying Iran is “inherently unpredictable” and has failed to honor commitments in the past.

“The Iranians sometimes make commitments that they don’t honor,” Vance said. “They make a deal, they don’t honor the deal.”

Vance said the administration has a broad range of tools at its disposal and is deploying them as circumstances warrant.

“What I think is really happening is that you’re seeing a president of the United States at the height of his authority with a lot of tools — diplomatic, military, and economic,” he said.

He said Washington is using those tools “very selectively, very strategically” to achieve its objectives.

Vance identified two main goals: ensuring Gulf countries continue sending oil and gas to global markets to maintain energy price stability, and ensuring Iran “never gets a nuclear weapon.”

“I feel confident we’re accomplishing both of those goals,” he said, “but it’s inherently an unpredictable thing because the Iranians themselves are unpredictable, and they sometimes don’t honor the commitments they’ve made to us.”