US VP Vance Rebukes Israeli Critics of Iran Deal, Defends Accord
United States Vice President JD Vance issued a sharp rebuke to Israeli lawmakers critical of the new US-Iran peace agreement, telling them to “wake up and smell the reality of the situation” and not attack their “only powerful ally.” He asserted that President Donald Trump is the only world leader who holds sympathy for Israel.
Defending the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, Vance stated that Iran will only receive the benefits of the deal, such as sanctions relief and access to a $300 billion reconstruction fund, if it complies with terms to be finalized over a 60-day period. “Words don’t matter, ladies and gentlemen, we’re about verification,” he told reporters.
Vance confirmed the US was already honoring its side of the initial agreement, having allowed more than a dozen ships to pass through its naval blockade. He also announced plans to travel to Switzerland, possibly this weekend, for technical talks on a long-term deal.
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Updated: 7:57 AM PKT — June 19, 2026
US Vice President JD Vance, now the administration’s point person on Iran, plans to travel to Switzerland for technical talks to finalize a long-term peace agreement. The trip is expected to take place this weekend, contingent on when Iranian officials can arrive. The new role is seen as a political gamble for Vance, a known war sceptic who is widely expected to be a presidential candidate in 2028. When asked about President Trump’s joke that he would be blamed if the deal fails, Vance said the president was joking and that the entire team had worked well to get the agreement to a good place for the American people.
Updated: 5:01 AM PKT — June 19, 2026
Following his sharp rebuke of Israeli critics, US Vice President JD Vance announced he plans to travel to Switzerland for technical talks on a long-term US-Iran deal, possibly as early as this weekend. Now serving as the administration’s point person on Iran, Vance’s role is seen as a political gamble ahead of a potential 2028 presidential bid.
When asked about President Trump’s comment that he would blame Vance if the deal fails, the Vice President dismissed it as a joke, stating the team has worked well together to bring the agreement to a “very good place for the American people.”
