Vance says ‘goal No. 1’ of Iran war is to lower gas prices

“The thing I can say with confidence is I think this ends with the United States in a stronger position, with Iran not having a nuclear weapon, and with the Strait of Hormuz returning to a place where oil and gas prices are stable for the American people,” he responded.

Vance blamed the Iranians for making commitments “that they don’t honor” but conceded that the administration’s jumps in “focus” between energy prices, airstrikes, and Iran’s nuclear capabilities contribute to public sentiment.

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“What I think is really going on from the inside is that we’re using those tools very selectively, very strategically to get the outcome that the president of the United States needs to get for the benefit of the American people,” Vance said. “It really is twofold. It’s ensuring that the Gulf countries continue to send oil and gas to the world economy, so that we have energy price stability. That’s obviously important for the American people. I know that oil is down today, and it’s way down from the highs in the early days of the conflict.

“That’s goal No. 1: keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country. And then, obviously, goal No. 2 is ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. I feel confident we’re accomplishing both of those goals, but it’s inherently an unpredictable thing because the Iranians themselves are unpredictable, and they sometimes don’t honor the commitments they’ve made to us.”