The vice president and secretary of state told the president that Tehran could keep resisting US pressure and military strikes right up until Inauguration Day in January 2029, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The pair laid out their assessment during recent sit-downs with Trump in the Oval Office and the Situation Room.

The revelation comes a day after Trump told reporters Wednesday that the conflict will end 'immediately' after November's midterm elections because Tehran 'can't hold out any longer.'

For months, Iran has answered US pressure to abandon its pursuit of a nuclear weapon by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries a fifth of the world's oil supply.

Recently, the US has launched various military strikes on Iranian military assets, including their radar systems, along with the strait to stop them from harassing US-backed oil tankers. 

Brent crude was trading at a high of $101 per barrel on Thursday morning, its highest level since May, as traders braced for further disruption to Middle East supplies.

Economists warn that a drawn-out war with Iran could keep the global oil market in turmoil for years by driving up the cost of gas and consumer goods for Americans. Vance is widely seen as the frontrunner for the 2028 Republican nomination should he run after the midterms. 

The Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment. 

The US and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire in June, but it collapsed weeks later when Washington resumed strikes after accusing Tehran of attacking commercial ships in the strait. 

Negotiations remain stalled, with Trump refusing to accept a deal that falls short of his nuclear demands.

Washington wants Iran to end its nuclear program and hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Tehran wants joint control of the Strait of Hormuz and the ability to charge tankers for passage to help cover the damage caused by US strikes.

Trump imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports back in April to squeeze Tehran's economy and pressure its leaders to come back to the negotiating table. 

Iranian crude has been cutoff from crossing the Gulf since it was reinstated in mid-July.  

However, Tehran is still selling oil stored on tankers outside the blockade by land. But those reserves have shrunk from around 90 million barrels to 29 million and could run out next month, the Wall Street Journal reported.