Vice President JD Vance mentioned Sunday that regardless of the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear websites final night time, the U.S. is just not at battle with Iran.
“No, we’re not at battle with Iran, Jon. We’re at battle with Iran’s nuclear program,” Vance advised ABC Information’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl. “And I believe the president took decisive motion to destroy that program final night time.”
When requested if he might definitively say that Iran’s nuclear program has now been destroyed, Vance mentioned that the U.S. has set Iran’s nuclear program again “considerably.”
“Whether or not it is years or past that, we all know it will be a really very long time earlier than Iran may even construct a nuclear weapon in the event that they need to,” Vance mentioned.
Vice President JD Vance speaks with ABC Information whereas showing on This Week, June 22, 2025.
ABC Information
Throughout his handle to the nation Saturday night time, President Donald Trump mentioned that the strikes “fully and completely obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear enrichment services.
Pressed by Karl if the U.S. might say definitively that Iran’s nuclear services had been destroyed, Vance couldn’t instantly verify that and reiterated that Iran’s nuclear program had been “considerably set again.”
“I can say to the American individuals with nice confidence — that they’re much additional away from the nuclear program immediately than they have been 24 hours in the past,” Vance mentioned. “That was the target of the mission, to destroy that Fordo nuclear web site and naturally, do some harm to the opposite websites as nicely. However we really feel very assured that the Fordo nuclear web site was considerably set again, and that was our aim.”
When requested about what occurred to the 900 kilos of extremely enriched uranium that Iran had, Vance mentioned that the administration would work within the coming weeks to do one thing concerning the gas and would have conversations with the Iranians.
Discussing the opportunity of Iran retaliating, Vance asserted that the U.S. would reply with “overwhelming power.”
“How Iran responds, I believe, is in the end — the ball is of their courtroom,” Vance mentioned. “However if you happen to take a look at what we did, it was very exact, very narrowly tailor-made to our goal. And if the Iranians determine to increase this, then that is in the end their resolution. And the president of the USA will reply in variety.”
Vance mentioned that Trump is just not excited by a drawn-out battle within the Center East.
“That isn’t what we’re getting ourselves concerned in. What we’re getting ourselves concerned in is a really focused effort to remove the Iranian nuclear program. That can proceed to be the aim of American international coverage. And it is that aim that’s going to encourage our motion in — within the weeks and months to come back.”
In a put up on his social media platform final week, Trump wrote a put up directed at Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, writing that he was an “straightforward goal.”
Requested if the U.S. is focusing on Khamenei and if the U.S. has dominated out attempting to realize regime change, Vance mentioned that regime change was not an goal for the Trump administration.
“Properly, to begin with, we do not need to obtain regime change. We need to obtain the tip of the Iranian nuclear program. Jon. That is America’s goal, and that is what the president has set us out to do.”
