Vance: Iran must reduce uranium enrichment capabilities to end the war

US Vice President JD Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “substantial” reduction in its uranium enrichment capabilities to meet US demands and end the ongoing conflict between the two countries that has lasted for more than seven months, even as Washington remains uncertain about how Tehran makes decisions in negotiations.

Longtime skeptic of US involvement in foreign wars, Vance played a leading role in negotiating a resolution to the conflict and mediated a temporary agreement in September that quickly collapsed.

The war has shaken global energy markets and become a political burden for US President Donald Trump and his Republican colleagues ahead of the November midterm congressional elections.

Vance added on Monday following a campaign stop in Alaska that any agreement would require Iran to reduce its nuclear enrichment capacity, rather than provide assurances of future reductions in its nuclear capabilities.

Iran and the United States have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping corridor. Trump rejected Tehran’s latest offer and warned that military operations could escalate after the midterms.