Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. All News Sport Culture Lifestyle Vance says US making progress in Iran talks Leon Panetta , a former CIA director, warned that the conflict with Iran , initially expected to be brief, is likely to continue for months due to unresolved crucial issues. Panetta stated that Iran holds significant leverage over the Strait of Hormuz , effectively having “a gun to our head” by controlling a vital global oil shipping route. He questioned the effectiveness of further US airstrikes or deploying ground troops, suggesting military action would not significantly alter the regime or provide a key to leverage. Panetta emphasised the need for a negotiating mechanism to address the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear issue, proposing an allied coalition to guarantee free movement through the Strait.…