World News Today Live Updates: US VP Vance says would not ‘call it a war’ with Iran, on categorising hostilities

US Vice President JD Vance speaks to reporters.(Photo: AP file) US Vice President JD Vance pushed back on calling the ongoing conflict with Iran a "war, " even as fighting between the two countries continues six months after it began.

Key points

• The sanctions hit Fidel Ernesto Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro, along with Cuba's Oil Industry Supply Import Firm, known as Abapet.
• Right now, there is no active shooting, Vance informed a White House briefing when asked if the war would be over by US midterm elections in November.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the sanctions on social media, saying they target a "corrupt" network benefiting Cuba's elite while ordinary citizens struggle.
• Vance insisted that the United States would not reopen discussions with Iran until it concluded attacks on commercial shipping.
• Sanctions expert Brett Erickson remarked the pressure is designed to create enough civilian hardship that Cubans are pushed toward ousting their own administration.

Sep 4, 2026 04: 57 AM IST. Iran war is not a war, US VP Vance notes.

US Vice President JD Vance remarked he would not categorise the Iran war as a war, despite continuing clashes with Tehran six months after the start of the conflict, AFP noted.

Vance's comments came against the backdrop of growing signs that President Donald Trump is trying to draw a line under the conflict that has bogged down his administration.

"I wouldn't call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting, " Vance informed a White House briefing when asked if the war would be over by US midterm elections in November.

Vance continued that "I recognise there have been places where this has flared up" but stated major combat operations only lasted for six weeks after the US-Israel war began on February 28.

"But when you ask when will this end, you're asking me a question like when will the Iranians stop shooting at ships? I think the reality is I don't know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians, " he remarked.

As Iran maintains a stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, after a number of weeks of calm, fresh clashes began with US raids on Sunday, deepening the impasse in the six-month war.

Vance insisted that the United States would not reopen discussions with Iran until it concluded attacks on commercial shipping. Sep 4, 2026 04: 53 AM IST. US hits Cuba with new sanctions as island's crises multiply.

For context, the United States imposed fresh sanctions on Cuba on Thursday, targeting authorities and businesses tied to the island's administration in a move aimed at deepening its economic and energy troubles. The new measures come as blackouts throughout Cuba grow longer and more frequent, leaving numerous residents without power for days at a time.

Who's affected. The sanctions hit Fidel Ernesto Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro, along with Cuba's Oil Industry Supply Import Firm, known as Abapet. It handles imports of equipment needed to keep the country's power grid running. Experts say the goal is to knock out critical machinery and worsen Cuba's energy crisis, forcing the administration to seek costlier workarounds that would drive up inflation.

Growing hardship on the ground. Outages throughout Cuba now last more than 24 hours a day in numerous areas as the aging power grid deteriorates and fuel supplies run low, a situation that worsened after President Trump threatened tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island. Sanctions expert Brett Erickson remarked the pressure is designed to create enough civilian hardship that Cubans are pushed toward ousting their own administration.

Sharp exchanges between authorities. Cuban authorities condemned the move, with Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga calling the US embargo "genocide" and Cuba's ambassador in Mexico accusing Washington of trying to produce life unbearable for ordinary Cubans. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the sanctions on social media, saying they target a "corrupt" network benefiting Cuba's elite while ordinary citizens struggle. Sep 4, 2026 04: 50 AM IST. Welcome to our live blog.

Hello and welcome to our world live blog. We'll bring you all the latest top stories from throughout the globe. Stay with us as we cover the day's biggest developments.

For now, world News Today Live Updates: US VP Vance says would not 'call remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.