Iran must cut enrichment to end war, U.S. Vice-President Vance says
The Hindu – International
You are logged in
Loading…
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials,
Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you’ve access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?
Weather News October 7, 2026 e-Paper
The View From India
Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.
First Day First Show
News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.
Today's Cache
Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.
Science For All
The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in!
Data Point
Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers
THEdge
At the cutting edge of education and careers
Health Matters
Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there
Gender Agenda
Stories from beyond the binary.
The Hindu On Books
Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.
Weather News October 7, 2026 e-Paper
Published – October 07, 2026 07:16 am IST – Alaska
U.S Vice-President J.D. Vance is interviewed by Reuters reporter Jacob Bogage before a campaign rally at Fairbanks International Airport in Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S., on October 5, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy U.S. demands and end the countries’ seven-month war, even as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negotiations.
Mr. Vance, a longtime skeptic of U.S. involvement in foreign wars, has taken a leading role in negotiating a settlement to the conflict and brokered a provisional peace agreement in June that quickly fell apart. The war has jolted global energy markets and become a political liability for President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans ahead of November midterm elections.
Speaking on Monday (October 5, 2026) after a campaign trip in Alaska, Mr. Vance said any agreement would require Iran to reduce its nuclear enrichment capacity, rather than offer assurances of future nuclear drawdowns.
“If you don’t want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60% enriched fuel? And if you want to show commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, don’t build highly enriched fuel. That’s a very basic threshold issue,” Mr. Vance said.
“I think if they want to show a commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, they would do something meaningful on their enrichment capacity.”
Iran and the U.S. have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route. Mr. Trump rejected Tehran’s latest offer and has warned that military operations could intensify after the midterms.
Mr. Vance said the U.S. remained open to an agreement but would require concrete Iranian nuclear concessions. “We’re not going to trade words for actions,” Vance said.
Complicating matters, Mr. Vance said Washington is uncertain who makes decisions in Tehran.
He said the U.S. was in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. But it was unclear how much authority they wield within Iran’s power structure, he said, after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes at the start of the war killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“One of the things we picked up on is it’s not totally clear how their country makes decisions,” Mr. Vance said. Separately, Mr. Trump said on Tuesday (October 6, 2026) his “biggest problem” is no one knows who is running Iran.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that U.S. officials are well aware of who their Iranian counterparts are and how Iran’s decision-making system works. “The problem is actually the opposite: it lies in the contradictory positions and mixed messaging from US officials,” Esmaeil Baghaei told a weekly press conference.
Mr. Vance told Reuters he has held personal conversations with field commanders to gauge battlefield conditions. He dismissed concerns over critical munitions shortages and added that while Iranian troops are periodically able to strike commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, they are largely unable to prevent energy exports through the waterway.
He declined to say if he was leading peace talks, though he is frequently cited as the White House’s top negotiator. “We’re certainly involved,” he said. “Ultimately, the president of the United States is driving things.”
The war — and its $3 billion monthly price tag — has become a key issue on the campaign trail. Higher energy prices have put Mr. Trump and Republicans on the defensive in competitive states that will decide control of Congress.
Mr. Vance has sought to temper criticism of Mr. Trump’s handling of the conflict, telling voters they should not let that issue keep them from backing Republicans in next month’s elections.
In Alaska, Mr. Vance rallied for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is locked in a tight reelection battle with Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. Mr. Trump carried Alaska by 13 percentage points in 2024, but rising everyday costs have put the state in play.
Before speaking with Reuters, Mr. Vance focused much of his speech on affordability concerns, especially around energy. Alaska’s remote locale makes consumer goods more expensive, and energy production is a key industry.
Rally attendees roared when Sullivan nearly introduced Mr. Vance as the president of the U.S., rather than the vice-president. Mr. Vance is seen as a leading Republican contender to succeed Mr. Trump in the White House.
Mr. Vance told Reuters afterward that he had not decided whether to seek the presidency in 2028. “I’m inherently a procrastinator,” he said. “I really haven’t thought about it much.”
Published – October 07, 2026 07:16 am IST
World
/
USA
/
Donald Trump
/
Iran
Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
BACK TO TOP
Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
Fonte: The Hindu – International
