Trump says Iran war could end quickly as JD Vance warns US is ‘locked and loaded’ over nuclear red line

Donald Trump on Tuesday said the United States would “quickly end” the ongoing conflict involving Iran, while Vice President JD Vance warned that Washington was prepared to take stronger action if Tehran refused to agree to terms preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Speaking publicly, Trump said the conflict would be resolved swiftly and suggested that efforts toward a deal were gaining momentum.

“We’re going to end that war very quickly. They want to make a deal so badly,” Trump said, adding that oil prices could drop significantly if tensions ease.

The comments came amid reports of a 72-hour diplomatic push between Washington and Tehran, with Trump giving Iranian negotiators a limited window to finalize a peace agreement intended to de-escalate the crisis.

Vance reinforced the administration’s position, saying the US would not accept any agreement allowing Iran to obtain nuclear capabilities.

“We are not going to have a deal that allows the Iranians to have a nuclear weapon — so as POTUS just told me, we’re locked and loaded,” he said. “We don’t want to go down that pathway, but the President is willing and able to go down that pathway if we have to.”

The vice president also argued that an Iranian nuclear program could trigger a broader proliferation risk across the region and beyond.

“What the President of the United States has said is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said, warning that such a development could encourage countries in the Gulf and elsewhere to pursue their own nuclear programs.

Meanwhile, Iran reiterated its position on the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Ebrahim Azizi said the waterway remained a permanent national asset under Tehran’s authority and stressed that Iran would firmly defend its interests.

According to remarks cited by Iranian media, Azizi warned that Tehran would show “no leniency” toward attempts to challenge its rights in the region.