US Vice President J.D. Vance has pushed back against comparisons between his country’s airstrikes on Iran and previous American wars in the Middle East, claiming the current actions are entirely different and focused on national security. In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Vance emphasized that the United States is not at war with Iran, but rather with its nuclear program, describing the strike as a precise and surgical operation. He argued that the current administration’s strategy is focused on avoiding prolonged conflicts and boots on the ground, contrasting it with past leaders who he deemed ‘dumb.’
Responding to concerns about drawn-out conflicts, Vance said the difference lies in leadership, stating that the current president has a clear understanding of national security objectives. He reiterated that the US has no interest in a protracted war or regime change, and the focus is solely on dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities. However, President Trump appeared to leave the door open to regime change, writing on Truth Social that if Iran fails to ‘make Iran great again,’ a change in leadership might be necessary. Vance criticized Iran’s potential retaliation, warning that any action against American personnel would be met with overwhelming force.
The administration’s legality of the strike has been defended by Vance, who argued that the president has the authority to act against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Moscow, however, criticized the move, drawing comparisons to the justification used by then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council that the current situation is no different, warning that the world is once again being urged to believe in ‘fairy tales’ that could bring suffering to millions in the Middle East.