Vice President JD Vance says the US will not resume talks with Iran until Tehran stops attacking commercial ships: “Stop acting like crazy people."
US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that Washington has no intention of resuming negotiations with Iran while Tehran continues to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. “The President’s been very clear: We are not talking to the Iranians, and we are not going to talk to them unless they stop shooting at commercial shipping. My advice to the Iranians is stop acting like crazy people," the Vice President said at a press briefing at the White House.
Asked whether the conflict with Iran would end before the November 3 midterm elections, Vance first said, “I wouldn’t call it a war," before explaining that the timeline largely depends on Tehran's actions. “When you ask when will this end, you’re asking me a question like when will the Iranians stop shooting at ships? I think the reality is I don’t know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians."
Vance also said the amount of oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz is approaching prewar levels, noting that 15 million barrels passed through the waterway during the previous night. “The reason gas prices are so high right now is because the Iranians are shooting at commercial shipping… Yes, gas prices are higher in the United States, but they’re way worse everywhere else in the world," he stated.
The Vice President also expressed strong doubts about Iranian claims that a US strike earlier this week hit a wedding party. “I will say that the Iranian state media has not been a very good scribe about what's happened in the conflict thus far, so I'm extremely skeptical of this," Vance told reporters. He reiterated the US military's position that civilians are not deliberately targeted, while saying authorities are investigating the reported incident. (Read More)
