PNN – The U.S. Vice President has received assessments regarding a war with Iran during direct contacts with the country’s military commanders—assessments that have caused him deep concern.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; The New York Times reported that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance received assessments concerning a war with Iran during direct conversations with U.S. military commanders in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
Citing statements from more than six current and former U.S. officials, The New York Times reported that throughout the spring and summer, Vance directly contacted U.S. military commanders, seeking their “candid and unvarnished” assessments regarding a war with Iran.
According to the report, Vance—who had opposed the war from the outset and was tasked by Trump with helping to bring the conflict to an end—questioned U.S. commanders regarding war objectives, military tactics, casualty estimates, Iran’s potential response in the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran’s capacity to withstand pressure and sustain the conflict.
The newspaper also reported that U.S. commanders have warned of severely depleted weapons stockpiles. These assessments indicate that in one operational theater, inventories of Patriot interceptor missiles—a critical component of U.S. air defense systems—had dropped below 100 units by late spring, while stocks for other missile systems had also fallen to critically low levels.
The New York Times added that, following these discussions, Vance developed deep concerns regarding the overall war strategy and the prospects for success—assessments indicating that the Iranian government was significantly prepared to withstand pressure and persist in its resistance, while the U.S. faced serious limitations in supplying the defensive weaponry needed to counter Iranian retaliatory strikes.
According to The New York Times, Vance—who had opposed the war from the outset—used these private assessments to advise Trump and strongly advocated for negotiations to bring the conflict to an end.