'No Chance': JD Vance Says Possible US Strike On Iran Would Not Lead To Years-Long Regional War

Last Updated:February 27, 2026, 21:21 IST

Vance rejected speculation that a US military strike against Iran would lead to a wider war in the Middle East that would go on for years.

US Vice President JD Vance rejected speculation that a US military strike against Iran would lead to a wider war in the Middle East that would go on for years.

“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," Vance said in an interview with The Washington Post. He cited the airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last June and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as examples of “very clearly defined" military campaigns.

Vance also hinted that the upcoming campaign against Iran would be similar to the previous two, including when US B-2 bombers struck Iran’s nuclear facilities amid Tehran’s 12-day war with Israel. However, he said he still viewed himself as a “sceptic of foreign military interventions", and that US President Donald Trump shared that sentiment.

“I think we all prefer the diplomatic option. But it really depends on what the Iranians do and what they say," he said. The vice president also said he did not know if Trump would decide on strikes “to ensure Iran isn’t going to get a nuclear weapon," or continue to seek to resolve “the problem diplomatically."

This comes amid escalating diplomatic and military tensions as US President Donald Trump has ordered a major US military build-up in the Middle East, including more than a dozen warships. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is currently deployed in the region to join USS Gerald R Ford.

ALSO READ: China Urges Citizens To Leave Iran ‘As Soon As Possible’ Amid Fears Of US Strike On Tehran

Iran has warned that if the US launches an attack, American bases across the region would be considered legitimate targets. Araghchi described such a scenario as “a devastating war" that could engulf the entire region.

Earlier on Friday, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged embassy staff in Israel to leave the country immediately if they wished to depart, citing security concerns, in a sign of imminent American action against Iran amid a deadlock in nuclear talks.

The embassy has also shifted to an “authorised departure" status, allowing non-essential personnel and their family members to leave at government expense, he wrote, describing the move as taken out of “an abundance of caution" after consultations with the US State Department, according to the New York Times.

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