Archive · 17 Sep 2026
JD Vance Says Iran War Will Enter New Phase
JD Vance said the Iran war has finished its first major stage.
He said that stage targeted Iran’s nuclear program and military strength.
The next stage would try to stop Iran from rebuilding those capabilities.
It would also aim to keep the region and the world stable.
Vance said the war may look very different in a few months.
He also said nobody can know exactly what will happen.
The United States says it is not currently carrying out aggressive operations.
Iranian forces have still sometimes fired at commercial ships.
The Strait of Hormuz remains important because many ships and oil shipments pass through it.
Vice President JD Vance said the Iran war’s first phase is over.
He said the initial phase targeted Iran’s nuclear program and conventional military capabilities.
Vance described the next phase as preventing Iran from rebuilding and supporting global stability.
He predicted the conflict could look substantially different within a few months but said its course was uncertain.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a focus, with traffic above half of normal levels but below pre-war levels.
- Who
- U.S. Vice President JD Vance described the conflict, while President Donald Trump has discussed its timeline.
- What
- Vance said the Iran war is moving from an initial military-targeting phase into a phase focused on preventing rebuilding and maintaining stability.
- When
- Vance spoke on Monday and said the conflict could enter a different phase in the coming months; Trump has linked a possible change to after the November midterm elections.
- Where
- The interview took place aboard Air Force Two, while the Strait of Hormuz remains a key location in the conflict.
- Why
- According to Vance, the next phase is intended to prevent Iran from rebuilding its capabilities and to maintain global stability.
- Speaker
- JD Vance, U.S. vice president
- Initial phase
- Targeting Iran’s nuclear program, conventional military, and regional power projection
- Next phase
- Preventing Iran from rebuilding and maintaining global stability
- Expected timing
- A substantially different phase could emerge within a few months
- U.S. operations
- Vance said the United States is not currently conducting aggressive operations
- Strait of Hormuz traffic
- Traffic has recovered to more than half of normal levels but remains below pre-war levels
- Oil flows
- The strait normally handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil flows