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Vance calls economic pressure US's 'best tool' against Iran
Vance says Iran felt more pressure than the U.S. in recent weeks. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains a fraction of pre-war levels.
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Economic pressure is the United States' "most effective tool" against Iran, Vice President JD Vance said, framing the strategy as a "delicate dance" in which Washington holds the upper hand.
Speaking on a podcast, Vance said that "what has been true over the last couple of weeks is they felt a lot more pressure than we have." His remarks follow President Donald Trump's pledge to launch what he called the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country" against Iran, threatening severe financial penalties on any nation that helps Tehran evade sanctions.
Vance said pump prices for Americans remain elevated but have come down "substantially" because the U.S. military has helped move "a lot of oil and gas out" of the Strait of Hormuz. Tanker traffic through the strait tells a different story. Data from trade intelligence firm Kpler showed 10 crossings Monday and two on Sunday. Before the war, average daily transits were about 130 ships.