In an embarrassing moment on the world stage, US Vice President Vance scrambled during a press conference as he realized he was blindsided by new developments in the Iran crisis. According to The Daily Beast, reporters asked him to check his phone for updates on U.S. airstrikes.Vance stood with Hungarian President Viktor Orban in Budapest when a Washington Post reporter asked him if he had any intelligence suggesting a diplomatic deal with Iran was imminent. Initially, Vance did not respond using his device. “I won’t — unless I get a text message from Steve Witkoff,” he said, referring to Trump’s former adviser and Middle East envoy.It was only after the vice president reached into his pocket that he realized he had indeed received a message. “I did get a message from Steve Witkoff,” he admitted after glancing at the text. “Don’t you want to know what this message is about? But no, uh, I need to read it before I can talk about it.” Then he asked, “But here, here… uh, what time is it in America?”The exchange came shortly after US President Donald Trump published a post warning that “entire civilization will die tonight” if Iran fails to reach a deal by the 8pm deadline.Minutes later, a Reuters reporter pressed Vance further, suggesting he check his phone more closely. “I do think you have to read that text because we have reports that the United States is attacking some targets on Kharg Island,” she said. The reporter added, “You did say that the military objectives of this war have been achieved. So can you help us understand why the president is still threatening to attack every bridge and every power plant in Iran?”Khag Island is an important export hub off the coast of Iran, handling approximately 90% of its crude oil exports. On Tuesday, reports emerged that the facility had been attacked again, following a U.S. attack in March on facilities including naval mine depots and missile shelters.“So you asked about Hag Island,” Vance responded during the meeting. “You know, my understanding is that after talking to Pete (Heggs) and General Kane about this, we were going to attack some military targets on Haag Island, and I believe we have done that.”Vance added: “(The president) has made it very clear that we will not strike energy and infrastructure targets unless the Iranians come up with a proposal that we can support, or don’t come up with a proposal. But he won’t do that until 8 p.m. Tuesday, so I don’t think the Kharg Island news represents a change of strategy.”Regarding the overall situation, Vance defended the administration’s approach: “The president of the United States is a person who realizes that if the Iranians want to inflict a certain level of pain, the United States has the ability to inflict more, greater pain.”The US president further threatened Iran with a heavy attack on its infrastructure, warning: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day in Iran, and it will all happen in Iran. There will be no such thing!!! Open the damn straits, you crazy bastards, or you will live in hell – look!”At the press conference, Vance also emphasized Trump’s position, saying: “I hope Iran will respond appropriately. We have some tools in the toolbox, but so far we have not decided to use them. President Trump can decide to use them, and if the Iranians do not change their course of behavior, he will decide to use them.”
