Vice President JD Vance told @TonyDokoupil that the U.S. has “won decisively” in Iran by destroying the country’s nuclear program, but said the war must continue to ensure Iran does not rebuild its nuclear capabilities and to prevent a global energy crisis. “I will be the first to tell you gas prices are too high,” Vance said. “They would be three times as high if it weren’t for the United States Navy keeping oil and gas moving outta the Strait of Hormuz.”
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 18, 2026
During a town hall with CBS on Saturday, Vice President JD Vance said that “the Iranians, the enemy gets a vote here” and we’re trying to get them to “make a long-term, but also verifiable commitment that they’re not going to rebuild” their nuclear program.
Vance said, “I would say, in some ways, we have won decisively, but the Iranians, the enemy gets a vote here, and they have responded in certain ways.”
Vance further stated, “Now, have we destroyed the Iranian nuclear program? The answer is yes. So, what are we doing now? There are two things that we’re trying to accomplish: Number one, ensure the Iranians make a long-term, but also verifiable commitment that they’re not going to rebuild, right? You have to wonder, not over the administration of Donald Trump, because this stuff…takes a while, but, five years from now, could the Iranians rebuild that nuclear arsenal, could they try to rebuild that enrichment capacity? So, that’s number one.”
He added, “[W]hat we have to do is simultaneously make sure that we get the final, firm commitment from the Iranians that they’re not going to rebuild their nuclear program, but we also have to ensure that we don’t have a worldwide energy crisis” due to Iran menacing commercial shipping.
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
