US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday criticised Israel’s reaction to the new agreement between the US and Iran, calling the criticism a “weird panic” and a “freakout” driven by mistrust of the United States. His remarks came as the Trump administration sought to defend the agreement and ease concerns from Israeli leaders who say the deal does not adequately address Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
In an interview with The New York Times, Vance said many in Israel assume that every provision favourable to Iran will materialise without any change in Tehran’s behaviour. “There is this weird panic almost in the Israeli system that I’ve picked up on where they assume that everything that is contemplated that is good for Iran will happen. But that will happen without the Iranians changing any behavior,” Vance told New York Times. “That’s not how the deal is written,” he added.
What JD Vance said
Israeli officials across the political spectrum have criticised the agreement reached between the United States and Iran. They say that the understanding fails to address concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and ballistic missile programme. They also fear that the arrangement could restrict Israel’s military operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, reported Reuters.
Vance rejected those concerns and said the United States would not ease sanctions if Iran continued supporting organisations designated by Washington as terrorist groups. “The US would not remove sanctions on Iran if it were still funding a terrorist organization,” he said.
The US vice president also questioned why some Israeli leaders appeared unwilling to trust Washington. “I find this whole freakout in Israel a little bit odd because I think that it comes from a place of mistrust, and I think that America has earned the trust of that region of the world,” Vance told New York Times.
“We’ve done a very good job by that particular country and that particular government,” he said, referring to Israel. “And I think that the idea that we’ve made a terrible deal is not supported by the facts, but just doesn’t make any sense if you consider the broad length of the relationship,” he said.
Vance also took aim at some of the agreement’s critics in Israel’s government, including far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. “I guess my response to them would be: What is your exact proposal? You’re a country of 9 million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have,” he said.
What does the agreement mean for shipping and oil?
Vance also announced that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has begun to recover following the agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Speaking at a White House briefing, he said the US Navy had permitted more than a dozen ships to proceed to Iranian ports and that oil shipments through the strategic waterway had resumed. “So we’re also honoring our end of the early part of the agreement on the military side,” Vance said.
He said more than 12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night, describing it as one of the first tangible benefits of the agreement.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes. A significant portion of global oil and natural gas trade passes through the narrow waterway. Its closure during the conflict had triggered concerns about a major energy crisis and rising fuel prices.
Iranian state media reported that shipping activity at the country’s southern ports had “normalized.” However, Iranian authorities said the Strait of Hormuz remains under military supervision and that vessels still require coordination to transit through the route.
Maritime tracking data also showed that major shipping companies have resumed moving vessels through the strait after months of disruptions. Tankers operated by several large international shipping groups have already crossed the waterway, reported Reuters.
The agreement between the United States and Iran establishes a 60-day negotiating period aimed at reaching a broader settlement on Tehran’s nuclear programme. It also seeks a permanent end to hostilities and calls for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The understanding states that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium must, at a minimum, be diluted under international supervision and reiterates that Tehran should not procure or develop nuclear weapons.
However, several major issues remain unresolved and will be negotiated during the next phase of talks.
President Donald Trump has also attempted to downplay Israel’s concerns. Speaking at the G7 summit in France, he said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could use a “softer touch” in dealing with Hezbollah in Lebanon.