US vice-president JD Vance today said president Donald Trump does not want a prolonged war with Iran and backed his decision regarding the resignation of the national counter-terrorism director who opposed the offensive.
“Nobody likes war, right? I can assure you that the president is not interested in getting us into the long-term quagmires we’ve seen in recent years,” Vance said during a visit to Michigan.
The vice-president, who has remained relatively discreet about the air offensive launched by the US and Israel on February 28 against Iran, said he knows Trump and “his way of thinking about national security,” and dismissed any risk of the White House leader dragging out the conflict.
He insisted the offensive aims to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons. “We don’t want the Iranians to have a nuclear weapon. The president was clear about that, and that’s what led to his decision three weeks ago,” he argued.
Read more about this topic: Iran War: US says Tehran has not resumed nuclear program (with video)
The remarks came on the same day US intelligence services denied that Tehran has sought to resume its uranium enrichment program since the previous US-Israeli strikes in June 2025 — an assessment presented in writing by national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard at a Senate hearing.
Also on the same day, the IAEA director-general stated that Iran’s uranium enriched to 60% “has not moved” since the start of the current conflict and remains stored at the underground complex in Isfahan.
US Vice President JD Vance avoided dwelling on potential divisions within the Republican Party over the war’s objectives and progress, observing that “if you can’t help implement the administration’s decisions, then it’s better to resign.” Photo credits: Hu Yousong – Xinhua
On the resignation of counter-terrorism chief Joe Kent, Vance backed Trump — whom he described as someone who welcomes differing opinions — while noting that “regardless of your opinion, when the president of the United States makes a decision, your job is to help make it as effective and successful as possible.”
Kent resigned on Tuesday in protest against the war, writing that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we initiated this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby in the United States.”
Read more about this topic: Head of US Counterterrorism Center resigns over Iran War (with video)
Vance avoided dwelling on potential divisions within the Republican Party over the war’s objectives and progress, observing that “if you can’t help implement the administration’s decisions, then it’s better to resign.”
Trump has given several different timelines for the end of the offensive — two days after it began he said it could last “four or five weeks,” later said it was “about to end,” and more recently said it would last “as long as it takes.” Iran has since February 28 been striking Israel and several neighbouring countries, targeting in particular US military bases as well as economic and energy installations, while blocking the Strait of Hormuz to ships linked to the US, Israel or their allies, sending global fuel prices surging.
