Vance: Israeli officials sought to influence Americans regarding the deal with Tehran
Vance defended the interim agreement reached last month with Tehran to end the war during an episode of a podcast with host Joe Rogan, which was released on Wednesday evening. However, he added, “I know for certain that there were people inside the Israeli government who were actually trying to steer us away from this policy because they wanted to continue the military campaign.”
He noted that many countries, whether allies or adversaries, seek to influence U.S. policy, adding, “I’m not bothered by Israel trying to do that, and frankly, I’m not bothered either by Russia or some other countries trying to do the same thing.”
He continued that this is “part of the nature of political work and leadership in 2026.”
“What bothers me is when those operations and influence campaigns actually affect U.S. policy and decision-making in the United States.”
When asked whether he believed the United States would not have engaged in the latest war with Iran absent Israeli influence, Vance replied, “Yes, yes, I think so.”
These remarks recalled previous criticisms by Vance, who is considered by many a potential future presidential candidate, of the Israeli government’s policies, amid growing public friction between the two sides.
On the other hand, Vance said that tensions between the “hardline” and “pragmatic” factions within Iran contributed to the resumption of confrontations, emphasizing that the U.S. administration still sees an opportunity to continue the diplomatic track despite recent military developments.
He described the Trump administration’s handling of the Iranian file as a “delicate diplomatic dance,” noting that the hardline faction hardened its stance following developments related to the Strait of Hormuz. He considered that the continued flow of oil through the maritime passage reduces the leverage cards Tehran holds, prompting it to adopt more escalatory positions.
For his part, Vance said that the “pragmatic” faction views escalation as a mistake and prefers to continue dialogue, adding that Washington is trying to communicate with this faction but responds militarily when subjected to attacks or acts of violence.
The vice president also considered that the memorandum of understanding had been “greatly distorted,” adding that much of what has been raised about it does not reflect its true content.
Nevertheless, he affirmed that Washington is “still on the right track” in its dealings with Iran, but he anticipated that the coming phase would witness repeated setbacks, stating that reaching any understanding would be “a complex process interspersed with stages of progress and retreat.”
