Washington, DC – Former US Vice President Mike Pence, who served under Donald Trump during his first term, expressed deep concern about the outlines of the new US-Iran agreement. In an interview with CNN, Pence asserted that Iran has been engaged in direct conflict with the United States and its ally Israel for 47 years. He also reiterated his previous support for Trump’s decisions to launch direct strikes against the leaders of the regime in Tehran. However, he voiced significant reservations about the current trajectory of the agreement.
Pence urged the US administration not to settle for mere promises, demanding a “clear and verifiable commitment” from Iran to completely abandon its nuclear ambitions.
He added, “We must leverage the economic and military pressure exerted by Washington and Tel Aviv to compel Tehran to come to the negotiating table and reverse the course it has followed for the past five decades.”
Pence concluded his remarks by modifying the famous political maxim “Trust, but verify,” emphasizing the principle: “Verify first, then trust.”
In the same vein, Pence criticized populist voices within the American right wing who advocate for reducing the United States’ global role, warning of the consequences of abandoning Washington’s leadership position.
Trump promises to refer the agreement to Congress amid ambiguity over details.
For his part, US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday his readiness to submit the interim agreement to end the war with Iran to Congress for review.
This announcement comes at a time when lawmakers, including Trump’s Republican allies, are suffering from a severe lack of information about the terms of the understanding announced last Sunday. The announcement has also sparked cautious optimism about ending a war that has claimed thousands of lives and negatively impacted the global economy.
According to officials, the memorandum of understanding includes a 60-day extension of the fragile ceasefire that began in April. Efforts are also underway to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic shipping lane that has been closed since the start of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
Democratic criticisms and demands for transparency
In contrast, Democrats met Trump’s promises of lasting peace with skepticism, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressing frustration at the lack of transparency. He also pointed out that repeated pronouncements about ending the war had not materialized.
Schumer called on the Trump administration to provide an urgent, classified briefing to congressional leaders and national security committees. He stressed that the American people deserve to know the precise details of what was agreed upon. This is especially important given the ongoing disagreement over Iran’s commitment to abandoning its nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes, while Washington insists on its dismantling.
