'Wake up': US VP Vance rebukes Israeli critics of Iran deal

United States Vice President JD Vance on Thursday issued a rare rebuke of Israel during a White House press briefing, criticising Israeli lawmakers who had opposed the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran.

Under the deal, the two sides have agreed on a framework to end the war, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a 60-day timeline for further talks.

Vance’s comments come amid rising tensions between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance told reporters.

“Anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation.”

Talking about the MoU itself, the vice president noted that Iran will “have to perform” and honour its end of the deal.

“If they don’t perform as we’ve said before, they don’t get any of the benefits of the bargain,” he said.

Vance, a war sceptic who has become the public face of the deal Trump signed at Versailles on Thursday, rejected claims that the deal rewards Iran without achieving Trump’s war aims.

The most controversial points have been around oil sales, sanctions relief and a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, while there is no firm mechanism for destroying Iran’s nuclear programme.

But Vance said Iran would only get the rewards if it proves that it has complied with the terms that will be hammered out in a 60-day period that he said began on Thursday, following the signing of the MoU.

“There’s a lot of discussion — the MoU, the gentleman’s agreements, the final deal. Words don’t matter, ladies and gentlemen, we’re about verification,” Vance told reporters, adding that oil prices were falling, and said the US had lifted its blockade of Iran.

The US military “has allowed north of a dozen ships to go through our naval blockade, and so we’re also honouring our end of the early part of the agreement,” Vance told journalists.

Trip to Switzerland on the cards

Vance said he now planned to head to Switzerland for technical talks on a long-term deal, although the arrangements were not yet finalised.

“I plan to go to Switzerland,” Vance said. “I suspect this weekend, but I’m not sure. It just depends on exactly when the Iranians can get there.”

Vance’s new role as Iran pointman is a political gamble for a man who is widely expected to run for president in the 2028 US election.

If a deal to end the war succeeds, it will be a boost for a long-term sceptic of US military entanglements — but if it fails, Trump has already said that he will blame Vance.

“I mean, I think the president was joking, as he often does,” Vance said when asked if he feared that Trump would make him the fall guy.

“But, no, look, the entire team has worked very well on this, and we’ve got this thing to a very good place for the American people.”