US Vice President JD Vance said that gasoline prices in the US are high, but they would be three times higher without the presence of the US Navy in the Strait of Hormuz area.

"Gas prices are too high. They would be three times as high if it weren't for the United States Navy keeping oil and gas moving out of the Strait of Hormuz. If we just give up and we walk away... energy prices are going to go way up," Vance said in an interview with CBS.

Vance added that the US wants to achieve two goals to end the conflict with Iran.

Washington wants to get a commitment from Iran that Tehran will not seek to restore uranium enrichment capacities, he said.

In addition, the US vice president said that the US authorities want to avoid a global energy crisis if they curtail their presence in this region.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East.

The escalation around Iran has led to the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for deliveries of oil and liquefied natural gas from the Persian Gulf countries to the global market, and has also affected the level of oil exports and production in the region, driving up prices.

@Sputnik