U.S. Vice President Vance reaffirmed the current administration's commitment to preventing the conflict from becoming protracted, stating clearly that as long as the core objective of blocking Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons remains steadfastly in place, the United States will not repeat the mistakes of past drawn-out wars.
In an interview on Monday, U.S. Vice President Vance addressed the situation in Iran, emphasizing his assessment that President Trump would be able to prevent the United States from becoming entangled in a prolonged military quagmire with unclear objectives.
He stated unequivocally, 'I am very confident that even a year from now, we won’t be talking about U.S. involvement in Iranian affairs—let alone several years from now.'
Vance, who served in Iraq and is among the most vocal skeptics within the current administration regarding overseas military intervention, emphasized that unlike the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. actions related to Iran would not escalate into a prolonged conflict. Although negotiations aimed at ending the situation are ongoing, there are currently no clear signs of an imminent resolution.
When asked whether the conflict with Iran might follow the same path as the Iraq War, he responded, 'I don’t believe the president would do that.'
This round of conflict originated from joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iran on February 28 and has now lasted for 100 days as of this week. Since April, the situation has entered a ceasefire phase, and U.S. officials, including Vance, have continued pushing for a comprehensive peace agreement, though progress has been limited.
Trump had previously signaled multiple times that a deal was close at hand, but negotiations stalled as parties resumed military strikes. At 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the 9th (5 a.m. Beijing time today), U.S. Central Command forces conducted defensive strikes against Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter the previous day. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps posted on social media, 'Missiles and drones have been launched against U.S. targets in the region.'
The spillover effects of the conflict have already become evident domestically in the United States. Gasoline prices have risen significantly, weighing down Trump’s poll numbers and raising concerns among some Republican lawmakers.
Regarding the future trajectory of the situation, Vance did not rule out the possibility of escalation. He indicated that if months-long diplomatic efforts fail to yield results, the United States may resort to more forceful measures before the conflict concludes.
‘I believe we will succeed,’ he said. ‘If diplomacy ultimately breaks down, the president still has additional tools available. But as long as we remain firmly focused on our core mission—preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—this will not turn into a quagmire.’
Vance made these remarks during a phone interview promoting his new book, scheduled for release on June 16. The forthcoming work serves as a sequel to his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.
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