International Desk : US Vice President J.D. Vance has stated that the United States is not at war with Iran. He claims that the US is not at war with Iran, but rather with Iran`s nuclear program. Anadolu Agency reported this information in a dispatch on Monday (June 23).

J.D. Vance said on Sunday that the recent American strikes in Iran do not mean Washington is now directly engaged in war with Tehran. Instead, their primary objective is to dismantle Iran`s nuclear program, which was the purpose of the recent attacks.

In an interview with NBC News, Vance stated, "We are not at war with Iran; we are at war with Iran`s nuclear program." He confirmed that under the direction of President Donald Trump, US forces successfully attacked three critical nuclear facilities in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

According to Vance, "This operation was truly extraordinary. Iran`s nuclear capabilities have been pushed back significantly." He believes that within just one day, Iran has "fallen far behind" in the progress of its nuclear program.

Vance added that the US genuinely "desires peace," but that peace must be contingent on Iran not pursuing nuclear weapons. He said, "We have not cancelled diplomatic talks. Rather, Iran has never been sincere in these discussions."

He further stated that the US does not want to engage in ground warfare but instead seeks a long-term solution with Iran for the future by "stopping the nuclear threat."

Iran`s Strait of Hormuz Decision, US Response
Meanwhile, Iran`s parliament has approved a decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil shipments. Vance described this as a "suicidal move." In his words, "If they want to destroy their own economy and bring instability to the world economy—that is their decision."

Tensions escalated after Israel launched airstrikes on multiple military and nuclear facilities in Iran on June 13. Iran retaliated with counter-attacks. Following the US strikes, Iran has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, where they are claiming that the American aggression violates international law.

Vance warned that if Iran targets American soldiers in retaliation, "that would be a grave mistake," and the US would respond with "ultimate force."