• Vice President JD Vance claims the US is targeting Iran's nuclear program, not the country itself.
• The US conducted strikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites amid escalating tensions.
• Vance emphasizes the US's desire for peace and dialogue with Iran following military action.

Vice President JD Vance stated on Sunday that the US is "not at war with Iran" but is instead at "war with Iran's nuclear program." His comments came after US strikes targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, which were conducted under President Donald Trump's orders. Vance emphasized, "What we did is we destroyed the Iranian nuclear program," asserting that the operation significantly set back Iran's nuclear ambitions, according to indiatimes, abcnews, and huffpost.

During an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Vance stated, "We actually want peace," but stressed it must be in the context of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He remarked that the US has no desire for a protracted conflict or regime change in Iran and suggested the possibility of future diplomatic talks for a long-term settlement. This perspective was echoed when he noted that the prior diplomacy had "never been given a real chance by the Iranians," as reported by aa, indiatimes, and abcnews.

Vance also remarked on the success of the operation, underscoring that it was executed without risking American lives. He expressed pride in the military's performance, calling the mission "high-impact" and carried out under considerable pressure. He acknowledged the potential for Iranian retaliatory actions but maintained the US's position is not to escalate into outright war, according to huffpost and aa.