Vice President J.D. Vance has said that the United States has successfully set back Iran’s nuclear weapons programme, adding that US President Donald Trump now hopes to pursue a diplomatic solution, Reuters reports.

“We do not want to protract this or build this out anymore than it’s already been built out. We want to end their nuclear program,” Vance said, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker”.

“We want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here,” he added.

 US President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside US Vice President JD Vance (L), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth (R), from the White House in Washington, DC on June 21, 2025. — AFP
US President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside US Vice President JD Vance (L), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth (R), from the White House in Washington, DC on June 21, 2025. — AFP

Opinion

Editorial

On press freedoms
Updated 03 May, 2026

On press freedoms

THE citizenry forgets, to its own peril, how important a free and independent media is in the preservation of their...
Inflation strain
03 May, 2026

Inflation strain

PAKISTAN’S return to double-digit inflation after 21 months signals renewed economic strain where external shocks...
Troubled waters
03 May, 2026

Troubled waters

PAKISTAN’S water crisis is often framed in terms of scarcity. Increasingly, it is also a crisis of contamination....
Iran stalemate
Updated 02 May, 2026

Iran stalemate

THE US and Iran are currently somewhere between war and peace. While a tenuous ceasefire — extended largely due to...
Tax shortfall
02 May, 2026

Tax shortfall

THE Rs684bn shortfall in tax collection during the first 10 months of the fiscal year is a continuation of a...
Teaching inclusion
02 May, 2026

Teaching inclusion

DISCRIMINATORY and exclusionary content in Punjab’s textbooks has been flagged in Inclusive Education for a United...