United States Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that Washington will not conduct negotiations with Iran unless Tehran stops attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to journalists, Vance stated that Iranian forces must end their naval strikes against commercial vessels, describing the American condition for opening diplomatic talks as simple.
Investigation into wedding strike
Vance also confirmed that the United States has launched a formal investigation into an airstrike that Iranian officials claimed struck a residential building during a wedding ceremony in Iran. He told reporters that American military authorities were investigating the incident because officials cared about the outcome and wanted to establish what happened.
Addressing the potential for military errors, Vance added that whenever the United States armed forces make mistakes, they learn from those errors in order to improve future operations, calling that accountability a major distinction between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian casualties and US response
Iranian officials reported that four people were killed and nearly 70 others were injured when the airstrike hit the home during the wedding event. Iranian state television broadcast on Thursday that a fifth victim, a 22-year-old woman, died in the hospital from injuries sustained in the strike.
The United States military acknowledged the claims, stating that it was aware of the Iranian reports regarding the casualty figures while stressing that American forces never target civilians during operations.
Strait of Hormuz conflict
The military conflict with Iran began in late February and has focused heavy international attention on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping corridor connecting the Persian Gulf to global markets. The waterway is particularly critical for major energy importers, including China, which stands as the largest importer of crude oil in the world.
Washington maintains that any prospect of bilateral talks with Tehran remains strictly dependent on an immediate halt to attacks on merchant shipping in the region.
