Vice President JD Vance is set to lead U.S. efforts to end a war with Iran, a major assignment he was concerned about waging. This comes as he is expected to be the top US negotiator in potential peace talks. Vance has had multiple calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, met with Gulf allies about the war and was involved in indirect communications with the Iranians. His seniority in the administration and his opposition to open-ended conflicts overseas make him a more attractive interlocutor for Iran than previous negotiators, who recommended him as lead negotiator. The White House is also considering a major military escalation if diplomacy fails. The Israeli government has been accused of attempting to smear Vance after a difficult phone call between Netanyahu and Vance.