US Vice President JD Vance has said Iran must take concrete steps to scale back its uranium enrichment programme if Tehran wants a deal to end the ongoing war with the United States.

According to a report by The Independent, citing Reuters, Vance said Washington would not accept assurances alone, insisting that any agreement must include measurable changes to Iran’s nuclear capabilities. He questioned why Tehran would need uranium enriched to 60 per cent if it had no intention of developing a nuclear weapon.

The vice president also revealed that US officials remain uncertain about how decisions are being made in Iran following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes at the beginning of the conflict. He said the authority of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in negotiations was not entirely clear.

The US and Iran have exchanged proposals in recent weeks as part of efforts to halt the fighting and restore movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for global energy supplies. However, President Donald Trump has rejected Tehran’s latest proposal and warned that US military action could intensify after the November midterm elections.

Vance said he remains involved in the negotiations but stressed that Trump is ultimately directing the administration’s approach. He also played down concerns over US ammunition supplies, while acknowledging that Iranian forces had managed to strike some commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz without preventing energy shipments from continuing.

The conflict, estimated to be costing the US about $3 billion monthly, has also become a growing political concern for the Trump administration as higher fuel prices put pressure on Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.