Vance Says US Deploying ‘Host of Tools’ in Iran Talks, Still in ‘Middle of the Game’

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said the United States is using a combination of diplomatic, economic and military tools in its efforts to resolve the conflict with Iran, but stressed that the situation is still in the “middle of the game.”

Speaking to Fox News’ “Saturday in America,” Vance said the United States is currently negotiating with Iran, while its immediate priority is to maximize the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We're talking to the Iranians, of course. We're trying to maximize the amount of oil and gas that are coming out of the Strait of Hormuz. That's the thing that we're most focused on right now,” Vance said.

He said the United States has already destroyed Iran’s nuclear program and conventional military capabilities and has significantly weakened what he described as Iran’s asymmetric military capabilities.

“Right now we're trying to see if they're willing to make the kind of long-term changes that would be necessary to have a better relationship with the United States,” Vance said.

He added that if Iran is unwilling to make those changes, the United States will continue applying pressure.

“And if not, that's fine, too. We're just going to keep on applying the pressure that we can apply and getting as much oil and gas out of the Middle East so that Americans can enjoy lower gas and energy prices,” he said.

Vance described the situation as a “delicate dance,” saying Washington is using multiple tools to achieve what it considers the best possible outcome for the American people.

“The final thing I'll say about this... is I try to remind people that we're really in the middle of the game here. This thing is not over,” Vance said.

“It’s obviously not at the beginning, we're in the middle of the game and we're applying a whole host of tools — diplomatic, economic, military tools — to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people.”

Vance said he remains confident that the United States will ultimately achieve its objectives, but emphasized that the process is still ongoing.

“I feel quite confident we will get there, but we're still a bit in the middle of the game,” he said.

Source: Fox News