Vice President JD Vance pushed back Saturday against Republican critics of the memorandum of understanding signed between President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, telling Fox & Friends the U.S. "wins either way" while insisting any economic relief remains contingent on sustained Iranian compliance. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., countered that a $300 billion reconstruction and economic development fund — not drawn from U.S. taxpayers — would make Iran's payoff under President Obama's 2015 deal "look like a pittance."
Strait of Hormuz Reopens; 16 Million Barrels Transit in One Day
Vance cited a concrete early result: 16 million barrels of oil moved through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday after the waterway reopened to commercial traffic following the ceasefire. The MOU establishes a 60-day ceasefire as a framework for a longer-term peace agreement. Vance said the U.S. holds strong cards, describing Iran's military as destroyed and noting Tehran has committed to eliminating its enriched uranium stockpile.
Republican Skeptics Cite Missing Conditions
Wicker and critics across party lines argue the agreement falls short on several fronts: no requirement to dismantle nuclear weapons capabilities or enriched uranium stockpiles, no binding limits on Iran's ballistic missile program, and no mandate to end support for proxy groups including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Wicker argued specifically that the 60-day ceasefire undermines U.S. gains from Operation Epic Fury and that easing sanctions while requiring Israel to halt operations against Hezbollah is misguided, given Hezbollah's continued attacks on Israel's northern border and Tehran's backing of the group.
Sanctions Relief Tied to Verified Compliance, Vance Says
Vance said critics wrongly assume Iran receives economic benefits regardless of conduct. Sanctions relief and access to regional aid would follow only after demonstrated compliance and verified abandonment of nuclear ambitions, with inspections and verification mechanisms designed to permanently block Iran from rebuilding its program. "We're going to go after that enriched stockpile of uranium," Vance said.
Multiparty Talks Expected Within Days
U.S. officials are preparing for negotiations involving Iranian, Qatari and Pakistani representatives, with Vance saying talks could begin within days. He framed the outcome as binary: Iran complies and earns conditional economic benefits over time, or the U.S. sustains maximum economic pressure. "What's ultimately happens from here is very much up to the Iranians," Vance said.