Iran live updates: US launches 2nd round of strikes on Iran on Wednesday

Vice President JD Vance expressed uncertainty over next steps with Iran, saying he expects it to be "really messy," in an interview released Wednesday.

He also claimed that the U.S. would not be involved in an indefinite bombing campaign and declined to divulge his personal stance on the war.

“I don't know exactly where this is going to go, but I think fundamentally we are on the right trajectory. It's just going to be really messy, and there's going to be a lot of stops and starts,” Vance said.

The vice president claimed the mid-ceasefire escalation from Iran was the result of a “freak out” among hard-liners within Iran over the increase in oil passing through the Strait after the MOU was signed, and that “pragmatists” in Iran are still looking to negotiate.

Vance said the U.S. is currently navigating a “delicate diplomatic dance,” adding that they are still “trying to talk to the pragmatists.”

After giving Iran until next week to come back to the negotiating table or face bombing of its critical infrastructure, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he didn't like giving deadlines.

"I don't like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know. They know the story. They better behave," Trump told reporters.

Trump had been asked if he planned to give Iran a specific deadline before he started bombing bridges.

Iran is "focused on defense" even as negotiations with the U.S. continue, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement Wednesday.

"Our armed forces have shown that any aggression against Iranian territory will definitely be met with a reciprocal response," Baghaei said.

"Commitment for commitment means that we consider our commitments to be enforceable as long as the other party adheres to them; in the event of a breach by the other party, we have also reciprocally refrained from implementing our commitments wherever necessary," he said.

U.S. Central Command said it redirected two commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade.

"Since restarting the naval blockade against Iranian ports 17 hours ago, U.S. forces have redirected 2 commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade. The U.S. military remains vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance," CENTCOM said in a statement Wednesday.