JD Vance says he wouldn't call conflict with Iran a 'war'

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance on Thursday, September 3, rejected describing the United States' ongoing conflict with Iran as a “war,” even as the two countries have exchanged strikes in recent days.

Vance said there was no active shooting at the time of his White House briefing but acknowledged that fighting had recently “flared up.” He also declined to give a timeline for when the conflict, which has now lasted more than six months, could end.

JD Vance rejects ‘war’ label in the ongoing conflict with Iran 

When asked whether the “war” would be over by the midterm elections, Vance rejected the characterization of the conflict. “I wouldn’t call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting. I recognize there have been places where this has flared up, major combat operations are currently not ongoing,” he said. 

The comments came after a renewed round of fighting this week. On Tuesday 1, the US military carried out roughly 100 strikes against Iranian targets, which the administration said were in response to threats against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has continued retaliatory attacks in the region, including an attack on US Gulf ally Kuwait on Thursday.

Vance said the US had a “responsibility” to respond because Iran continued targeting commercial vessels traveling through the strategic waterway. Consequently, he said the administration would not set an artificial deadline for ending the conflict.

“You’re asking me a question like when will the Iranians stop shooting at ships?” he said. “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 administration would continue using the tools available to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear program and to maintain global energy supplies.

Brent crude was above $95 a barrel on Thursday, compared with about $72 a barrel before the conflict began. The Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global oil shipments, has also seen substantially lower traffic than before the fighting.

JD Vance disputes Iran civilian strike claim, addresses cyber threats

Vance also addressed reports from Iranian officials that a US missile strike killed at least four civilians at a home in southern Iran where a wedding was taking place. He said he had been briefed on the incident and that an investigation was continuing.

 “What I can say with 100 percent confidence is that, unlike the IRGC [Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps], the United States never targets civilians in combat,” the vice president said. “We never will do that, we never have done that.”

 “Unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen, but in this particular case, I don’t think that we have any information one way or the other, we’re investigating, this is a difference between us and Iran, when our military makes mistake they learn from them and try to get better, so we’re investigating,” he added.