US Vice President JD Vance has expressed deep skepticism over reports that an American air strike hit a wedding celebration in southern Iran, while firmly asserting that US forces do not intentionally target non-combatants.
Speaking on Thursday, Vance noted that while Washington is actively investigating the reports, he has not seen evidence confirming US responsibility. "What I can say with 100 percent confidence is that, unlike the IRGC, the United States never targets civilians in combat," Vance stated, adding, "We never will do that. We never have done that." However, he acknowledged that civilian casualties can occur during military actions, remarking, "Unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen." He emphasized that the US military reviews its mistakes to learn from them, a sentiment echoed by the US military's separate announcement that it is reviewing the allegations.
According to Iranian Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour, US strikes conducted between August 30 and September 2 resulted in at least 18 deaths and 142 injuries. Kermanpour detailed that the fatalities included four individuals in Sirik, seven in Khuzestan, four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force in Kermanshah, and three Basij members on Lavan Island. He further reported that at least 50 people were injured during the wedding gathering in Sirik, while other Iranian officials claimed four people were killed and dozens wounded in that specific strike.
The reports have sparked international concern, prompting United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to declare he was "deeply alarmed" by the reported civilian casualties, specifically highlighting the alleged strike on the wedding.
Beyond the airstrikes, Vance addressed broader US-Iran relations, stating that Washington has halted negotiations with Tehran and will not resume them until Iran ceases its attacks on commercial shipping. "The message to the Iranians is simple," Vance said. "You’ve got to stop shooting at commercial shipping." He dismissed demands for a fixed negotiation timetable, warning that a deadline would make US strategy predictable and allow Iran to prolong its attacks.
Vance explained that the US administration is employing diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to safeguard commercial vessels and maintain the flow of oil and gas through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Despite the ongoing conflict, approximately 15 million barrels of oil have continued to transit the waterway. Vance concluded that the primary US goals remain preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and averting a global energy crisis, asserting that American military operations have successfully contained the conflict's impact on international energy markets.
