Vance says Iran must make a “meaningful” cut to enrichment capacity to end the war
He says Washington wants concrete action, not promises
Vance also says uncertainty over Tehran’s decision-making is complicating negotiations
US Vice President JD Vance has said Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity for Washington to agree to end the war, rejecting the idea that Tehran can satisfy US demands merely by promising to reduce its nuclear activities in the future, Reuters reported.
“If you don’t want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60% enriched fuel?” Vance said in an interview with Reuters on Monday. “I think if they want to show a commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, they would do something meaningful on their enrichment capacity.”
US Demands
Vance said any agreement would require Iran to take concrete steps on its nuclear programme rather than provide assurances about future reductions.
“We’re not going to trade words for actions,” he said, while adding that Washington remained open to an agreement.
The comments come as the US and Iran have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy shipments. Reuters reported that US President Donald Trump had rejected Tehran’s latest offer and warned that military operations could intensify after the November midterm elections.
Decision-Making
Vance also said uncertainty over who has final authority in Tehran was complicating negotiations.
The US is in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, but Vance said Washington did not know how much authority they exercised within Iran’s power structure. His comments followed the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes at the start of the war.
“One of the things we picked up on is it’s not totally clear how their country makes decisions,” Vance said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected that assessment, saying US officials knew Iran’s counterparts and how the country’s decision-making system worked. He said the problem instead lay in “contradictory positions and mixed messaging” from US officials.
White House Position
Washington’s demand over enrichment is consistent with the administration’s stated objective of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. In April, the White House said Operation Epic Fury was designed to ensure that Iran “never acquires a nuclear weapon”, alongside efforts to destroy its ballistic missile capabilities, navy and ability to support armed groups outside its borders.
Vance has played a prominent role in efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict. Reuters reported that he brokered a provisional peace agreement in June, but the arrangement quickly collapsed.
The war has also disrupted global energy markets, while the confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz has increased pressure for a settlement. Vance said the US remained involved in the negotiations, but stressed that Trump was ultimately directing the process.
