U.S. Vice President JD Vance says the conflict with Iran is expected to enter a “much different phase” within the next couple of months, offering the clearest indication yet from the Trump administration that the nature of the confrontation could change after months of military operations and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking in an interview with the New York Post aboard Air Force Two, Vance said the United States had moved into a second phase focused on preventing Iran from rebuilding capabilities damaged during the conflict and on maintaining global stability in its aftermath.
His comments came in response to questions about President Donald Trump’s timeline for the conflict around the U.S. midterm elections. Vance said the future could not be predicted, while saying he believed the president was right that the confrontation would enter a substantially different phase within a couple of months. He did not specify whether that would mean fewer military operations, renewed diplomacy or another change in U.S. strategy.
Vance also said Washington was not currently engaged in aggressive operations and argued that Iran continued to launch occasional attacks on commercial shipping. His account of the conflict and U.S. military objectives reflects the administration’s position.
The remarks come as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted and the wider conflict continues to affect energy markets and maritime traffic across the Gulf.
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