US’ Vance says Iran conflict is not a war

US Vice-President J.D. Vance on Sept 3 said the fighting between the United States and Iran was not a war and declined to provide a timeline for when the conflict would be over, underscoring the challenge the Trump administration faces as the hostilities enter their seventh month and midterm elections loom.

His comments come as Washington and Tehran exchanged back-and-forth attacks this week after a period of relative calm, with no diplomatic talks with the Iranians under way to end the conflict.

The war has dragged down President Donald Trump’s approval ratings and driven up gas prices, raising the stakes for Republican candidates fighting to ​preserve their party’s narrow congressional majorities in November.

In a briefing at the White House, Vance touted US efforts to facilitate oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranians have disrupted maritime traffic since the war started, crediting Washington’s actions with helping to avert a broader global energy crisis.

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