The conflict between the United States and Iran is anticipated to enter a "much different phase in a couple of months," according to Vice President JD Vance. In an exclusive interview with The Post, Vance expressed agreement with the President's sentiment that the war would conclude "right after" the midterm elections, following months of retaliatory strikes between Washington and Tehran.

"We can’t predict the future, but I think the president is right to say that this thing will enter a much different phase in a couple of months," Vance said aboard Air Force Two on Monday. "He’s also the commander in chief, so he’s the person who determines … when conflicts start and when they stop."

Vance asserted that the Iranian regime is progressively losing control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint. He noted that traffic through the strait has surpassed 50% of normal levels. "I certainly understand there’s some impatience from the American people, but fundamentally what’s happening right now is that the United States is not engaged in aggressive operations. We’re just not," he added. "But what is happening is that the Iranians are occasionally shooting at commercial shipping, usually not successfully."

While U.S. Navy SEALs have spent the past four months de-mining the strait, traffic remains significantly below pre-war volumes. Shipping trackers indicate that only 11 commercial vessels transited the strait in the last 24 hours, a stark contrast to the average of 130 that crossed the waterway daily before the conflict began. However, the U.S. has been conducting covert operations, escorting commercial oil tankers with their transponders turned off to evade Iranian attacks.

Approximately 20% of the world's seaborne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the U.S. degrading much of Iran's missile and drone capabilities, Tehran continues intermittent strikes on commercial vessels and launches attacks on American military bases in the Middle East. Recent reports suggest Iranian drones may have been responsible for damage to Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline.

American forces have also targeted Iranian oil tankers, and the U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on financial entities supporting Iran's military operations.

Vance outlined a two-phase strategy for the conflict. "There are really two phases to this thing, and the first phase is done," he explained. "The first phase was destroy the nuclear program, destroy their conventional military, destroy their ability to project power in a way that they were able to even a couple of years ago."

He continued, "And then the second phase of this is ensure that they’re not able to rebuild and try to maintain as much global stability in the wake of that."

Previously, Vance was instrumental in architecting a Memorandum of Understanding in mid-June that established a cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran, initiating negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program and aiming to de-escalate the conflict.

President Trump previously stated last Wednesday that "right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward," adding, "I think the war will end immediately after the election because they can’t hold out any longer."