By Gloria Ogbonna
During Monday’s broadcast of Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News Channel, Vice President JD Vance delivered a firm message regarding ongoing negotiations with Iran, making clear that the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical U.S. expectation.
Responding to questions from host Bret Baier, Vance addressed whether reopening the vital global shipping route without tolls constitutes a red line for the United States. He emphasized that during negotiations, Iranian officials attempted to “move the goalposts,” something the U.S. made clear was unacceptable.
According to Vance, the United States entered negotiations by offering a significant concession: a ceasefire and a halt to bombing operations inside Iran. In exchange, Washington expects Tehran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic waterway through which a significant percentage of the world’s oil supply passes.
“We came to the negotiations saying, the United States has stopped bombing the country,” Vance explained. “What we expect the Iranians to give up is a full reopening of the Straits of Hormuz.”
While acknowledging that there has been a noticeable increase in shipping traffic through the strait — something he said is positive for both the global economy and the United States — Vance stressed that the reopening is not yet complete. He warned that failure to fully restore unrestricted access could dramatically alter the trajectory of negotiations.
“Our expectation is that the Iranians are going to continue to make progress toward fully opening the Straits of Hormuz,” Vance said. “And if they don’t, it’s going to fundamentally change the negotiation that we have with them.”
Baier pressed further, noting that while Vance repeatedly referenced Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles and nuclear ambitions, he had not explicitly labeled a toll-free reopening of the Strait as a formal red line. Vance responded that reopening the waterway is indeed one of the central issues under discussion and reiterated that the United States has been clear about its requirements.
Beyond maritime access, Vance underscored broader U.S. demands. He stated that if Iran hopes to function as what he called a “normal country economically,” it must first behave as a normal nation in terms of international security. That includes permanently abandoning any pursuit of nuclear weapons and ceasing support for terrorism.
“We must have the enriched material out of Iran,” Vance said. “We must have their conclusive commitment to not develop a nuclear weapon.”
He went further, characterizing any obstruction of the Strait of Hormuz as “economic terrorism,” arguing that restricting access to one of the world’s most important shipping lanes harms not only the United States but economies across the globe.
The vice president’s remarks signal that the administration views maritime security and nuclear nonproliferation as inseparable components of the broader diplomatic framework. With tensions still simmering, Vance made clear that continued Iranian compliance — particularly regarding unrestricted access through the Strait of Hormuz — will determine whether negotiations move forward or face serious consequences.
Source Breitbart
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