Vance Warns Iran Must Be Permanently Blocked From Rebuilding Nuclear Program Again

Vice President JD Vance has declared that Iran will not get out of the current conflict unless it is permanently blocked from ever rebuilding its nuclear program, confirming that President Donald Trump retains both kinetic and non-kinetic options on the table.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force Two after visiting Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia, Vance said negotiations with Iran in Doha are currently going well but warned that any attempt by Tehran to restart enrichment or attack commercial shipping will change America's calculation immediately.

"Right now the negotiators are sitting down with the Iranians, with the Qataris and with others in Doha," Vance said. "Right now the talks are going well. It's still pretty early, but talks are going well."

Vance made it clear that the White House strategy has two clear goals. First, keep oil and gas prices low for American families. Second, make sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. He said oil is now at $68 and gas prices are starting to come down, which he called a sign that the administration's pressure is working.

"What I can commit to is the President's not going to send our military back in unless he has to, unless there's a clearly defined purpose for it," Vance told reporters. "If they try to rebuild their nuclear programme, if they try to start shooting at commercial vessels again, that's going to change our calculus."

He added, "He retains kinetic options, he retains non-kinetic options. We've certainly made some progress... We want to make sure they don't rebuild it or try to rebuild it. That's what matters most in the United States."

The comments come after weeks of intense military and diplomatic activity. The United States under President Trump launched Operation Midnight Hammer, striking Iran's Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites with 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators. The White House says the strikes have obliterated Iran's ability to build a nuclear weapon with its current equipment.

President Trump himself said on Saturday at Mar-a-Lago that the US has knocked out almost all of Iran's nuclear capability. "We've knocked out their nuclear. We still have to take care of, I would say one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes," Trump said, referring to sites like Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground complex. He also said Iran wants a deal but questioned whether Tehran would honor it.

The diplomatic track is now led by Vice President Vance. In a significant move, Vance sent a direct letter to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The letter was delivered through Qatari mediators on October 25 and proposed direct talks in Doha or Istanbul. Vance described Rezaei as the greatest hope for peace and urged Iran to send representatives authorized to negotiate its nuclear program.

Iran's response has been mixed. Rezaei confirmed on Iranian state television, "I read the letter. I haven't yet responded. Their tone has completely changed." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the outreach a positive step, while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of an unrestricted military response if the US or Israel launches new attacks.

Qatari mediators have been shuttling between Tehran and Washington, proposing a seven-day trust-building plan. Iran has its own seven-day proposal that includes lifting the US naval blockade, easing oil sanctions, and releasing frozen assets. The main obstacle remains the order of concessions. Washington wants nuclear guarantees first, Tehran wants economic relief first.

Sources close to the White House say President Trump is holding off on any new strikes until after the November 3 midterm elections. Axios reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing Trump to strike immediately after the elections, while Trump prefers to give negotiations more time. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed, "Trump has not made a decision about fresh strikes and would be open to a diplomatic solution."

For American voters, the economic angle is important. Vance has repeatedly said the administration is using economic pressure as its top tool. "The number one goal is to keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country and then obviously goal number two is ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon," Vance said on Fox News. Trump later clarified that stopping a nuclear weapon is always the number one goal, but the message on gas prices resonated with the public. Lower gas prices are expected if a deal is reached and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains safe.