Vice President Vance: The US will Ensure Iran does not Have Nuclear Weapons

JAKARTA - US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday (25/2) said Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Vance stressed that the diplomatic track remained the main choice of the Donald Trump administration, although other options remained open.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News, Vance said President Trump had made his position very clear that Iran should not have nuclear weapons.

"That would be the primary military objective if that's the path he chooses. Of course, that's what we're trying to do, as the president said, through the diplomatic path that is the primary choice," Vance said, quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Thursday, February 26.

Vance argued that most Americans agree that Iran should not develop nuclear weapons capabilities, calling it a national and global security issue.

According to Vance, although negotiations between the US and Iran are ongoing, Trump has shown his willingness to use alternative measures if necessary.

Trump "will seek to achieve this through diplomatic channels," Vance said, adding that the president has "a number of other tools that he can use to ensure this does not happen."

The delegations from Iran and the US are scheduled to hold the third round of indirect nuclear talks under Omani mediation in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday.

Vance said he hoped Iran would take the talks seriously.

When asked if that could mean an attempt to overthrow Iran's supreme leader, he declined to speculate and said Trump would ultimately determine the right course of action to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

"We are sitting down for another round of diplomatic talks with Iran to reach a reasonable settlement. But what is a reasonable settlement towards what goal? Iran must not have nuclear weapons. It's very simple," said Vance.

"We hope to reach a good resolution without using the military, but if we have to use the military, the president certainly has that right," he added.

On Tuesday, Trump claimed that Iran was developing long-range missiles that could reach the US. However, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that his country's missiles were defensive.