Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that President Donald Trump and Israel may soon have to "finish the job" in Iran, arguing that further military action is likely despite the administration's growing reliance on economic pressure and sanctions. Pence's comments place him among the strongest advocates for continued pressure on Iran at a time when some lawmakers in both parties have questioned whether the conflict should be wound down through diplomacy rather than expanded. His remarks came during an interview with CNN’s State of the Union from Kyiv, Ukraine, where he was meeting with Ukrainian officials and discussing both the war in Eastern Europe and ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Newsweek reached out to the White House on Sunday. Pence argued that the conflict is unlikely to end through negotiations alone. "It's going to be absolutely imperative that we keep the pressure on, and that we keep the military assets in the region," Pence said.
He also argued that Iranian leaders have not accepted the reality of their situation and therefore are unlikely to agree to terms sought by Washington. "The time's going to come sooner rather than later when the president and our ally Israel are going to have to go in and finish the job," Pence said. Pence argued Iran's leaders still do not believe they have been defeated, which he said makes a lasting settlement unlikely without continued military and economic pressure.
Pence has advanced similar arguments throughout the conflict, repeatedly calling for greater military and economic pressure on Iran. Earlier this year, he criticized a proposed U.S.-Iran understanding as "appeasement" and said sanctions relief would provide a "lifeline" to the Iranian regime. Pence's remarks come as the Trump administration has increasingly relied on sanctions, economic pressure and international isolation measures rather than launching a new major round of strikes against Iran.
In a Wednesday Truth Social post, Trump announced what he called the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country," pledging severe consequences for countries, businesses and financial institutions that support Iran economically. The administration's current strategy centers on sanctions, trade restrictions and efforts to isolate Tehran from international financial networks. Trump has also pushed allies to target oil smuggling operations, financial transfers, front companies and other channels Iran has historically used to reduce the impact of sanctions.
Pence served as Trump's vice president from 2017 to 2021 and was for years one of the former president's most loyal allies. Their relationship fractured after the 2020 election, when Pence refused Trump's demands to block certification of Joe Biden's victory. Since leaving office, Pence has occasionally broken with Trump, most notably over Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and, more recently, over aspects of Iran policy.
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