Vance: Preventing nuclear Iran is the ‘number two’ US goal, after ensuring cheap oil

US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on Thursday that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is Washington’s second priority, with the primary goal being to “keep oil and gasoline cheap for Americans.” Vance expressed confidence in achieving both goals, though he described the Iranians as “unpredictable.” He added that the endgame would leave the United States in a stronger position with stable energy prices in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington would apply “measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation” against Tehran next week, confirming that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would continue. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed reports of poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, stating that the US Navy could maintain the blockade indefinitely. Separately, Tehran demanded compensation for an oil spill in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iranian officials attributed to a foreign vessel, while the shipping monitor TankerTrackers linked the spill to an Iranian attack on a bulk carrier.