US seeks verifiable Iran nuclear commitment, Vance says

WASHINGTON — US Vice President JD Vance said Washington wants a "long-term" and "verifiable commitment" from Iran not to rebuild its nuclear programme, according to Middle East Eye, which reported his remarks from a CBS News town hall on 18 October 2026.

Middle East Eye reported that Vance also claimed the United States had "in some ways decisively won" the war against Iran and had destroyed its nuclear programme. These are the vice president's assertions. The report does not include independent confirmation of either claim.

Focus on the years ahead

According to Middle East Eye, Vance said the administration's priority was to stop Iran from rebuilding its nuclear capabilities in the future. He framed the concern as reaching beyond the current presidency.

"Not over the administration of Donald Trump… but five years from now, could the Iranians rebuild that nuclear arsenal? Could they try to rebuild that enrichment capacity?" Vance said, as quoted by the outlet.

Middle East Eye did not report what form a verifiable commitment might take. It also did not say whether talks with Iran on the subject are under way.

Fuel prices

The outlet reported that Vance acknowledged "gas prices are too high right now". He said prices would fall once the US-Israel war on Iran "is over", according to Middle East Eye.

Vance blamed Iran for the increase, the outlet reported. He pointed to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and to attacks on tankers. Middle East Eye quoted him as saying: "We've never had a situation like this." He described a situation in which one country was "trying to completely choke off world energy supply".

Vance also claimed that petrol prices would be "three times as high if it weren't for the US Navy keeping oil and gas moving out of the Strait of Hormuz", according to Middle East Eye. The report did not give current price figures or any data to support the comparison.

What is not confirmed

All the statements in this report come from a single source, Middle East Eye's summary of the CBS News town hall. Zenga News has not independently verified the vice president's remarks. The following points are also unconfirmed in the material available:

• Vance's claim that the US "decisively won" the war and destroyed Iran's nuclear programme.
• His account that Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz and attacked tankers.
• His estimate of the effect of US Navy operations on petrol prices.
• Any response from Iranian officials. Middle East Eye did not include one in its report.

Background

Middle East Eye described the conflict as a US-Israel war on Iran. According to Vance's comments as reported by the outlet, the war has not yet ended. He tied the fall in fuel prices to its conclusion.

The vice president's remarks link two issues: Iran's nuclear capacity and the supply of energy through the Strait of Hormuz. Middle East Eye's account presents the administration as treating a lasting limit on Iran's nuclear programme as a central aim, alongside restoring the flow of oil and gas.