U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on October 5 that Iran must make a substantial, verifiable reduction in its uranium-enrichment program before Washington will agree to end the seven-month war.
In an interview with Reuters after a campaign stop in Fairbanks, Alaska, Vance said the United States would not accept promises of future limits and instead expected Tehran to take concrete action. He questioned why Iran would need uranium enriched to 60 percent if it does not intend to develop a nuclear weapon. Vance said a meaningful rollback of enrichment capacity would be a basic test of Iran’s intentions, adding that Washington would not “trade words for actions.”
The United States and Iran have exchanged proposals seeking to stop the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy shipments. President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest offer and warned that military operations could intensify after the November midterm elections. Vance also said U.S. officials remain uncertain about who ultimately controls major decisions in Tehran, despite contacts with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
The comments indicate that nuclear concessions, rather than broader assurances, remain central to any possible diplomatic settlement.