Iran must make a “significant“ reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity if it wants to meet US conditions and end the seven-month war. This was stated by US Vice President J.D. Vance in an interview with Reuters.
According to him, a future agreement cannot be based only on assurances that Iran will limit its nuclear program in the future. Washington insists on a specific reduction in enrichment capacity.
“If you don't want a nuclear weapon, why do you need fuel enriched to 60 percent? If you want to show that you do not intend to create a nuclear weapon, do not produce highly enriched fuel. This is a matter of the most elementary threshold“, Vance said.“We will not exchange words for actions“, the US vice president added.
The negotiations also relate to the Strait of Hormuz
The US and Iran have exchanged proposals aimed at ending the war and resuming traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The important sea route is key to the world's energy supplies.
President Donald Trump has rejected Tehran's latest proposal and warned that military action could intensify after the US midterm elections. Vance said Washington remains open to a deal, but only if Iran makes real nuclear concessions.
Washington doesn't know who makes the decisions in Tehran
As an additional obstacle to negotiations, Vance cited the ambiguity surrounding Iran's decision-making mechanism. He said the United States is talking to President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, but it is unclear how much power the two have in the Iranian political system.
His comments were rejected by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei. He said U.S. officials are aware of their Iranian partners and how the decision-making system works.
”The problem is the opposite – "It lies in the conflicting positions and mixed messages from U.S. officials," Bagaei said.Vance also said he had spoken personally with commanders to assess the situation on the battlefield. He dismissed concerns about a shortage of critical ammunition supplies and said that while Iranian forces may occasionally attack merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz, they have generally failed to stop energy exports.
War Costs U.S. $3 Billion a Month
According to an estimate cited by Reuters, the war is costing the U.S. about $3 billion a month. Higher energy prices are making the conflict a political issue for Trump and the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections.
Vance played a leading role in trying to negotiate a way out of the conflict and brokered a tentative peace deal in June that quickly fell apart. He declined to say whether he was leading the negotiations, but said the administration was actively involved and the final decision rests with the president.
After a campaign rally in Alaska, Vance said he had not yet decided whether he would run for president in 2028.
Sources: reuters.com, marketscreener.com, channelnewsasia.com