Vance Says Israel Will Likely Join Emerging U.S.-Iran Deal

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said he expects Israel to join the developing agreement between the United States and Iran at some point in the future. In an NBC interview, he argued the deal would make Israel and the wider region safer, and said there has been a lot of misinformation about it in both Iranian and Israeli media. He added that once Israelis understand the terms, they will see it as a path to a new Middle East of peace and prosperity.

Vance said he is “pretty confident” Israelis will support the arrangement as it advances. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a press conference on Wednesday night that Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding and still does not know all of its details. Vance also addressed recent public criticism of Netanyahu by President Donald Trump, saying Israel is often a good partner, but allies can still disagree from time to time.

He said nuclear inspectors will be allowed back into Iran as part of the deal, and that one of its main elements is cooperation by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United States to help Iran destroy its highly enriched uranium stockpile. Vance said the memorandum of understanding, which he described as a framework to end the war, will be published after a formal signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland, matching the timetable Trump had announced.

Asked why the details had not been released earlier, Vance said there were only technical implementation issues left to resolve. He said the U.S. had consulted with the Iranians and several regional actors, including Qatar and Pakistan, which he credited as important mediators. Responding to comparisons with Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal, Vance said the situation is different because Iran’s nuclear program has been “completely destroyed,” and the U.S. is now seeking a long-term pledge not to rebuild it in exchange for the benefits of the agreement.