Vance Dismisses Prospect of Prolonged US Involvement in Middle East Conflict

Washington — US Vice President JD Vance has dismissed the possibility that the United States will become embroiled in a prolonged armed conflict in the Middle East should President Donald Trump choose to strike Iran.

“The idea that we will get involved in a war in the Middle East for years and years with no clear end — that is not going to happen,” Vance told The Washington Post on Thursday.

He stated that it remains uncertain whether the US President will continue the diplomatic route in talks with Iran or opt for military action. However, Vance believes that air strikes, even if larger in scale than those conducted in June, will not escalate into a major conflict.

Vance said he remains “sceptical of military intervention abroad,” but added that “just because one president failed in a military conflict does not mean we will never get involved in military conflict again.”

“I think we all prefer the diplomatic option,” he said. “But it really depends on what Iran does and says,” he continued.

Iran and the US have held three rounds of talks on Iran’s nuclear issue. The two parties are currently drafting a proposal for a possible agreement.

In January, Trump stated that a “large fleet” was heading towards Iran, adding that he hoped Tehran would agree to negotiate and sign a “fair and balanced” deal.

The US leader recalled that in June 2025, the United States struck Iranian nuclear facilities as part of Operation Midnight Hammer. He said that any subsequent strike would be worse and urged that this should not occur.