VP Vance defends Iran deal, says Israel 'has to respect this peace process'

US. Vice President J.D. Vance defended the memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran, arguing that the agreement advances American interests while placing strict conditions on any future benefits Iran may receive.

In an interview with The New York Times, Vance pushed back against criticism from Israeli officials and commentators who have warned that the agreement could strengthen Iran without fundamentally changing its behavior.

"When the president identifies a gap between the goals of the political system in Israel and the interests of the American people, he acts in accordance with the interests of the United States," Vance said, referring to President Donald Trump's decision to move forward with the deal.

Vance dismissed concerns that the agreement would allow Iran to emerge stronger, describing some of the reaction in Israel as driven by distrust.

"In Israel, they assume that anything being considered that might benefit Iran will happen without the Iranians changing any of their behavior," he said. "I find this wave of hysteria somewhat strange."

The vice president also rejected claims that Washington had neglected Israeli security interests, emphasizing the close relationship between the two allies.

"We did a very good job for that particular country and for that particular government," Vance said. "The claim that we made a bad deal is not supported by the facts."

Addressing criticism from Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Vance questioned what alternative strategy they were proposing.

"You are a country of nine million people," he said. "You can't just kill your way out of all your national security problems."

Vance argued that the agreement represents a significant departure from the Obama-era nuclear deal, saying it requires the destruction of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile rather than permitting it to remain intact.

"The Obama-Iran agreement allowed the Iranians to create a stockpile of enriched uranium," he said. "Our agreement ensures that this stockpile will be destroyed and eliminated."

Speaking separately ahead of his departure for Switzerland, where the memorandum was formally signed, Vance stressed that the United States remains in constant contact with Israel and other regional partners and reiterated Washington's support for Israel's right to self-defense.

"We speak to Bibi or somebody in the Israeli government just as we speak to the Gulf Cooperation Council and our regional partners pretty much every day," Vance said. "The president has been very clear. He does not withdraw support from Israel. Israel has a right to defend itself."

At the same time, Vance said all parties must support the broader diplomatic effort underway.

"The Israelis, just like everybody else, have to respect this peace process that is fundamentally good for them and good for the entire region," he said.

Vance acknowledged growing frustration within the Trump administration over incidents that have threatened to derail negotiations, citing strikes in Beirut that resulted in civilian casualties.

"The president has grown frustrated sometimes when we seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough and then all of a sudden there's a major explosion in a civilian population center in Beirut," he said. "A lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives. That's not acceptable."

According to Vance, the administration's objective is to build a regional security framework that limits Hezbollah's capabilities while reducing Iranian influence.

"We do not want Hezbollah attacking Israel," he said. "But in order to ensure that happens, we have got to build the kind of regional framework that can cut off the money to Hezbollah, cut off Iranian support for Hezbollah, and ensure that Lebanon's territorial sovereignty is respected by all parties."

Vance also addressed the Lebanon component of the agreement, saying Washington expects both Israel and Hezbollah to abide by the ceasefire understandings and ultimately wants the Lebanese government to establish effective control over southern Lebanon.

He further emphasized that sanctions relief and economic benefits for Tehran remain conditional on full compliance.

"Not a single penny" will come from the United States, Vance said, adding that Iran would only benefit economically if it fully honors its commitments and changes its behavior.

"If the Iranians don't change their behavior, their military and their nuclear program are still destroyed," he said. "If they do change their behavior, then they are going to have a transformative relationship with the Middle East."