Reported Disagreement Over Iran Policy
The Washington Post has reported that statements by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Iran indicate they are "not on the same page" regarding the administration's approach. According to the report, Vance's priority is keeping fuel prices low, which would require restoring normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while Trump has repeatedly emphasized that Washington's key goal is preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly denied any divide, telling the newspaper, "There is no divide." She added, "President Trump has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and the entire administration is behind him as he works to eliminate this threat that politicians talked about, but never acted upon for 47 years." Kelly also praised Vance for "doing a great job advancing the President's agenda to protect our homeland from a terrorist regime."
Vance, responding to questions about potential disagreements, said he, like other high-ranking US officials, is following the president's orders. He acknowledged that there are "debates and discussions" within the administration regarding further actions.
The White House denial and Vance's comments come amid an ongoing US military campaign against Iran. According to TASS, the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, on the night of July 8, the United States resumed large-scale strikes against Iran, accusing it of violating the agreements on the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about a quarter of the world's oil trade and about 20% of liquefied natural gas transportation.
US Officials Reaffirm Hard Line
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that the administration was not ruling out using military force against Iran, even as Washington unveiled an "economic D-Day" against Tehran. "By no means are we foreclosing using kinetic strikes anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran," Hegseth told reporters, adding that Iran could not handle the economic pressure being put on it.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, in a Newsmax interview, maintained that Trump is committed to preventing Iran from attaining a nuclear bomb. "The president has been clear that he is going to see the Iranian nuclear weapons threat come to an end," Pigott said, adding that "He will see that objective be completed one way or another." Pigott contrasted Trump's approach with that of past administrations, stating, "Past presidents have simply identified the threat" while "President Trump is taking action to prevent that threat from becoming a reality, the untenable threat of the Iranian regime having a nuclear weapon."
The Islamic Republic has said it is not seeking to develop a nuclear bomb.