JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States, has stated that the conflict between the two countries will soon enter a completely different phase, referring to recent developments in U.S.-Iran relations. Vance made these remarks following the approval of a resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives aimed at withdrawing U.S. military forces from combat operations against Iran.
Approval of the Congressional Resolution
This resolution was passed with the support of 220 representatives from both parties against 204 votes in opposition. Although this resolution is not binding, it seems to be an effort to maintain political pressure on Donald Trump, the President of the United States. With less than two months remaining until the midterm elections, this issue has gained more significance.
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Change in War Strategy
Vance stated in an interview that the U.S. government is awaiting a change in the conditions of the war after the midterm elections. He also added that the decision regarding the timing of the start or end of hostilities lies with the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. According to Vance, Iran is facing challenges in maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz, although traffic in this waterway has returned to more than 50 percent of its normal level.
Iranian forces continue to sporadically target commercial ships, but these attacks are often not successful. The U.S. Navy has also cleared a significant portion of the Strait of Hormuz of mines in the past four months, although shipping traffic remains below pre-war levels.
Vance has also described the war as having two phases, stating that the first phase has ended and its goal was to eliminate Iran's nuclear program and weaken conventional military forces. He described the second phase of the war as preventing the reconstruction of these capabilities and striving to maintain global stability after the war.
Despite these developments, it remains unclear what approach the Trump administration will take towards Iran after the midterm elections. According to Trump, he expects the war to end immediately after the elections and has predicted that Iran will not be able to continue its current situation at that time.
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