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Israeli Officials and U.S. Lawmakers Slam Iran Deal

23 0
18.06.2026

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at reactions to the Iran deal in Israel and Washington, reviewing U.S. troops in Europe, and a massive Ukrainian drone bombardment against Moscow.

‘Catastrophic Capitulation’

Thursday kicked off the 60-day clock to negotiate the future of Iran’s nuclear program, among other critical issues, as outlined by the U.S.-Iran peace deal. The memorandum of understanding, signed on Wednesday, has sparked cheers from many foreign leaders, who are already celebrating the cessation of fighting and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at reactions to the Iran deal in Israel and Washington, reviewing U.S. troops in Europe, and a massive Ukrainian drone bombardment against Moscow.

‘Catastrophic Capitulation’

Thursday kicked off the 60-day clock to negotiate the future of Iran’s nuclear program, among other critical issues, as outlined by the U.S.-Iran peace deal. The memorandum of understanding, signed on Wednesday, has sparked cheers from many foreign leaders, who are already celebrating the cessation of fighting and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

However, one major U.S. partner appears concerned that the deal gives too much to Tehran.

Israeli officials and analysts have condemned the agreement for its failure to address Iran’s missile arsenal or curb its support for proxy groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. They have bashed the deal for including a cease-fire in Lebanon, despite Israel not being party to the MOU, and for enabling Iran to access hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen assets, sanctions relief, and reconstruction aid.

This is a “catastrophic capitulation,” wrote David Horovitz, the editor of the Times of Israel, with Chuck Freilich, a former Israeli deputy national security advisor, calling the MOU an “Iranian victory over the U.S. and Israel.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday that “the struggle is not yet over, and further challenges lie ahead.” While he expressed deep appreciation for the United States’ partnership, he reasserted the need for a “determined stance on our security interests,” including by keeping Israeli forces deployed in southern Lebanon.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance dismissed Israel’s concerns on Thursday with a harsh rebuke directed at members of Netanyahu’s cabinet who have criticized both the deal and, in some cases, Trump himself. “President........

© Foreign Policy