Vance links high energy prices to Iran, offers no new policy
Vance says oil is still flowing from Iran and that the US will work to protect Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
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Map: The Gulf and Hormuz, marking Strait of Hormuz
UpdateMonday, September 21, 2026 at 10:55 AM ET
Iranian officials are preparing to travel to New York this week for the UN talks Vance referenced. President Trump has said separately that Iran wants a deal but is not yet ready for one. The IRGC Navy's cruise missile strikes on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz took place on September 18.
Vice President Vance said Monday that elevated energy prices are tied to Iran, according to a pool report. He said oil is still flowing out of Iran and that the United States will try to protect its Navy in the Strait of Hormuz.
Vance also said talks with Iran will continue this week at the United Nations.
The strait has been under pressure for days. On Friday, Iran's IRGC Navy fired at least five cruise missiles at ships passing through it. That same day, President Trump said he would decide on military action against Iran. A report published Saturday said more than 1 billion barrels moved through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months while Iran shipped none.
Vance's comments repeat the administration's existing framing and add no new policy detail. Oil supply is already constrained by sanctions on Iran and by disruptions to shipping through the strait, and talks with Iran remain at an early stage. For now, the remarks read as messaging rather than a shift in the sanctions regime or in the supply picture itself.