U.S. Vice President JD Vance urged Iran to make a "tangible" reduction in its uranium enrichment capabilities to meet U.S. demands and end the ongoing war between the two countries that has lasted for more than 7 months.

Vance said in an interview with "Reuters" that any agreement to end the war would require Iran to take concrete steps to reduce its uranium enrichment capabilities, rather than merely making commitments to reduce its nuclear capabilities in the future.

He added in the interview conducted (on Monday) following a campaign tour in Alaska: "If you don't want a nuclear weapon, why do you need fuel enriched to 60%? And if you want to demonstrate your commitment to not manufacturing a nuclear weapon, don't produce highly enriched fuel. This is a very fundamental issue." He pointed out that if they wanted to show their commitment to not making a nuclear weapon, they would take tangible actions regarding their enrichment capabilities. Vance announced that the United States remains open to reaching an agreement with Iran, but it will require Tehran to take concrete nuclear steps, adding: "We will not accept words in place of actions."

Vance stated that Washington is in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, but he noted that it is unclear how much authority the two have within the power structure in Tehran. He highlighted that one of the things we have noticed is that it is not entirely clear how their country makes decisions. Trump said (on Tuesday) that his "biggest problem" is that no one knows who runs Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baqaei considered that U.S. officials are well aware of who their Iranian counterparts are and how the decision-making system in Iran works. Vance revealed to "Reuters" that he personally had conversations with field leaders to assess the situation on the battlefield and dismissed concerns about the severe shortage of ammunition. He added that Iranian forces are occasionally able to strike commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, but they are largely unable to prevent energy exports through this waterway.

The cost of the war is about $3 billion per month, and it has become a prominent issue in the U.S. midterm election campaign, amid rising energy prices and the political pressures this places on Trump and the Republicans. Vance sought to mitigate the criticism directed at Trump's handling of the conflict, telling voters that they should not let this issue prevent them from supporting Republicans in next month's elections. Vance is seen as one of the leading Republican candidates to succeed Trump in the White House. He told "Reuters" after the rally that he has not yet decided whether he will run for president in 2028. He added: "I am naturally a person who tends to be cautious. I really haven't thought about it much."