JD Vance warns US still ‘in the middle of the game’ with Iran despite talks

Vice President Vance said Saturday that the U.S. had made progress in negotiations with Iran but warned the war is still “in the middle of the game” as the Trump administration presses Tehran for concessions to help bring the conflict to an end.

“I do think that we’ve made some progress over the last few days,” Vance told Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany, pointing to negotiations between Iran and Oman over reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

But Vance cautioned against viewing the talks as a sign that an end to the war is imminent.

“This thing is not over. It’s obviously not at the beginning. We’re in the middle of the game,” he said. “We’re applying a whole host of tools, diplomatic, economic, military tools, to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people.”

Vance’s comments come after Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine urged top Trump administration officials to find an “off-ramp” from the nearly six-month war with Iran, according to a new report.

Caine raised the prospect of finding a way out of the conflict in conversations with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President Vance, CNN reported Friday, citing multiple sources familiar with the discussions.

“Caine is looking for an off ramp,” one source told CNN.

The nation’s top military officer also reportedly warned senior administration officials that continued U.S. airstrikes alone are unlikely to achieve President Trump’s objectives in Iran.

Caine and others privately conceded that bombing Iran is unlikely to force the nation to accept a deal on Trump’s terms, adding to growing concerns among top officials about the military options available to the president.

The discussions came ahead of meetings with Trump in an effort to coordinate their message about the risks and limitations of further military action, including options that would not require deploying U.S. troops on the ground.