US Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that some figures within the Israeli leadership are attempting to prolong the war on Iran indefinitely by influencing public opinion in the United States.
“There are some people within their system [in the Israeli government] we know beyond a shadow of a doubt who are manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war [with Iran] going on indefinitely,” Vance said during an appearance on a podcast hosted by media personality Joe Rogan.
Vance added that US President Donald Trump would have pursued military action against Iran regardless of any influence from “Israel”, saying the president firmly believes Tehran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, which the Islamic Republic has consistently denied obtaining.
Moreover, US and Israeli assessments and statements have both revealed that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon. Instead, Tehran’s nuclear program is strictly civilian, and used for peaceful purposes.
Israeli concerns over US strategy on Iran
The remarks came after Al-Monitor, citing Israeli security sources, reported on Tuesday that the Israeli regime was concerned the Trump administration had lost its determination to eliminate Iran’s peaceful nuclear capabilities and had instead shifted its focus toward securing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the report, the change in priorities raised concerns among Israeli officials over Washington’s approach to the ongoing war on Tehran.
Tensions escalate around Strait of Hormuz
The US military has carried out multiple waves of strikes on Iran since July 8, with US Central Command claiming the attacks were launched in response to Iranian actions targeting commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian forces responded with strikes on US bases in several countries across the West Asia region.
On Sunday, Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz until the end of US interference in the region, following another exchange of attacks between Washington and Tehran.
Iran suspends commitments, talks after US violations
Meanwhile, Tehran has suspended parts of its commitments in response to Washington’s failure to uphold its own obligations, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson and member of the country’s negotiating delegation Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday, stressing that Iran currently has “no agenda for negotiations” and is instead fully focused on defense.
Baghaei said Iran’s commitments remain valid only as long as the other party abides by its obligations.
“Once the other party [Washington] violated its commitments, we likewise refrained from implementing our obligations wherever necessary,” he said, emphasizing that any understanding is fundamentally based on reciprocal commitments and responsibilities.
He added that such an understanding retains value for the Islamic Republic only insofar as it safeguards the country’s interests and national security, declaring, “We currently have no agenda for negotiations, and our focus is entirely on defense.”
Source: Agencies (translated and edited by Al-Manar)