Vice President JD Vance said the war between Israel and Iran could be an inflection moment for the Middle East after President Donald Trump announced an end to the war on Monday.

Vance appeared on Fox News shortly after the president announced a ceasefire and end-of-the-war agreement had been reached in a post on Truth Social. Vance credited the president for “working the phones constantly” to bring about an end to the war.

Vance also credited the president for accomplishing the objective of creating “a world where Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon.”

“Look, this is a great thing. For Israel – think about this – they’ve accomplished an important military objective. They’ve helped us destroy the Iranian nuclear program. They’ve also destroyed the conventional missile capability of Iran that threatened the country of Israel,” Vance said.

“For the Iranians, I think this is a new opportunity to actually pursue the path of peace. As I said yesterday, what the Iranians have showed through their support of terror networks, through their now-failed effort to build a nuclear weapon, is that they’re just not very good at war,” he continued.

“I think the president really hit the reset button and said, look, let’s actually produce long-term peace for the region. That’s always been his goal. I actually think when we look back, we will say the 12 Day War was an important reset moment for the entire region,” Vance said.

"The President really hit the reset button and said, 'Look, let's actually produce long-term peace for the region,'" says @VP on the Israel-Iran ceasefire.

"I actually think when we look back, we will say the 12 Day War was an important reset moment for the entire region." pic.twitter.com/wFgJ8GXMva

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 23, 2025

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social Monday afternoon that Israel and Iran would begin a ceasefire after final missions are completed. The ceasefire will last for 12 hours, at the end of which “the War will be considered, ENDED!” the president wrote.

“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR,’” wrote Trump. “This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!”

Over the past two weeks, Israel’s air force has operated essentially freely over the skies of Tehran, knocking out key military sites and leaders. Israel also hit some political and propaganda sites, such as Iran’s state-run news agency and Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison where the regime regularly locked up political prisoners.

Attacks by the United States and Israel have all but destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, a goal Trump stated months ago as the United States undertook negotiations with Iran to deconstruct its nuclear enrichment facilities.

Israel launched an airstrike on the Iranian regime’s infamous Evin prison on Monday, where thousands of political prisoners have been executed by the Islamic regime.

“Security footage shows one missile strike blasting open the doors of Evin Prison, where the Islamic Republic held its opponents and critics in brutal conditions, with public hangings,” the New York Post reported.

“In accordance with the directives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and me, the IDF is now attacking with unprecedented force regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran, including the Basij headquarters, Evin Prison for political prisoners and opponents of the regime, the ‘Destruction of Israel’ clock in Palestine Square, the internal security headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, the Ideology Headquarters, and other regime targets,” Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, wrote on X.

בהתאם להנחיית ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו ושלי צה”ל תוקף כעת בעוצמה חסרת תקדים מטרות משטר וגופי דיכוי שלטוניים בלב טהרן וביניהם – מטה הבסיג’, בית הכלא אווין לאסירים פוליטיים ומתנגדי משטר, השעון “להשמדת ישראל” בכיכר פלסטין, מפקדות ביטחון פנים של משמרות המהפכה, מפקדת האידיאולוגיה…

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) June 23, 2025

“In 1988, thousands of Evin prisoners were executed after cursory trials, according to Human Rights Watch. Many of those killed were viewed as a threat to the new Islamic government,” The New York Times reported.

Iraj Mesdaghi, a former Iranian political prisoner who was tortured by the Islamic regime while in Evin prison, told The Jerusalem Post: “When I saw the images, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was worried about the fate of the political prisoners, but on the other, I was glad the killers were being targeted. This was a powerful moment for us — to see those who tormented us finally being held accountable. But I must say: as long as Khamenei is alive, the cycle of violence isn’t over.”

Mesdaghi recalled what he had suffered while in the prison: ‘The torture wasn’t just to extract information — it was constant. I was kept in solitary confinement for months, blindfolded, shoved into what they called ‘the grave’ — a tiny box. They lashed the soles of my feet with electric cables. Every part of my body was in pain.”

Noted Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad stated on X, “The Islamic Republic’s notorious prison, Evin was bombed by Israel. The regime responded by surrounding the prison with security forces to make sure none of the political prisoners could escape. This is the reality in Iran. At a time of war, political prisoners must be released not held hostage. If you want to act, aim your pressure at the Islamic Republic to release them now.”

The Islamic Republic’s notorious prison, Evin was bombed by Israel. The regime responded by surrounding the prison with security forces to make sure none of the political prisoners could escape. This is the reality in Iran. At a time of war, political prisoners must be released… pic.twitter.com/xCkBexTZEO

— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) June 23, 2025

“I really don’t know what will happen next,” Mesdaghi wondered. “If Khamenei survives this attack, I fear the regime will retaliate by executing more political prisoners. That’s why the world has to care — has to stand with the Iranian people, especially those being held hostage by this regime.”