Vance Warns US Ready to Restart Military Campaign if Iran Talks Fail
United States Vice President JD Vance has stated that President Donald Trump is prepared to resume military operations against Iran if ongoing nuclear negotiations fail to produce a satisfactory agreement, using the phrase that the administration is 'locked and loaded' to restart a military campaign.
Vance's remarks represent the most direct public threat issued by a senior White House official since the cessation of the recent US-Iran military engagement. The statement is calibrated to apply maximum pressure on Tehran at the negotiating table while signalling to domestic audiences that the administration retains full military optionality.
The nuclear talks, which resumed following the conflict period, are at a delicate stage. Iran's willingness to negotiate has been complicated by internal political pressures, the severe economic damage inflicted by the recent war, and deep mistrust of US intentions among hardline factions in Tehran.
The ultimatum heightens geopolitical risk across the Middle East and energy markets, with analysts warning that any resumption of hostilities would have cascading consequences for oil supply routes, regional stability, and global financial markets. Pakistan and other regional states with significant economic exposure to the Gulf are closely monitoring the trajectory of US-Iran diplomacy.
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