US vice president rules out prolonged war in Middle East amid Iran tensions: Report

By Gizem Nisa Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) - US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that while President Donald Trump is weighing potential military strikes against Iran, there is “no chance” the United States would become involved in a drawn-out war.

Speaking to The Washington Post, Vance said he does not know Trump’s ultimate decision, citing options ranging from military action “to ensure Iran isn’t going to get a nuclear weapon” to diplomatic solutions.

“The idea that we’re going to be in a Middle Eastern war for years with no end in sight, there is no chance that will happen,” he said.

A 41-year-old Marine veteran and former Iraq War critic, Vance described himself as a “skeptic of foreign military interventions” and suggested that Trump shares this cautious approach.

“I think we all prefer the diplomatic option,” he said.

He also addressed intraparty debates over US Middle East policy, including attitudes toward Israel, noting the value of open discussion.

Commenting on a recent interview between former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Vance said: “I guess my takeaway is it’s a really good conversation that’s going to be necessary for the right, not just for the next couple years but for long into the future.”

Meanwhile, talks between the US and Iran continued Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland amid the largest US troop presence in the Middle East since before the Iraq War.

Trump has publicly advocated regime change in Iran, describing it as “the best thing that could happen.”