Former Vice President Mike Pence sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s newly negotiated peace agreement with Iran, arguing the framework risks strengthening the Islamic Republic by easing economic pressure while failing to permanently resolve concerns over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Pence, who served alongside Trump during his first administration, said the preliminary agreement amounted to an unnecessary concession that could provide the Iranian government with a political and economic reprieve after more than three months of conflict.
Details that have emerged from the proposed agreement indicate it includes phased sanctions relief, a $300 billion reconstruction investment initiative and Iran’s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons as negotiations continue toward a comprehensive settlement.
In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday, Pence said the agreement represented far more than a simple diplomatic miscalculation.
“This could essentially become a lifeline for the Iranian regime,” Pence said, according to Newsweek.
He also characterized the agreement as resembling a policy of appeasement toward Tehran rather than a strategy designed to contain one of Washington’s longtime adversaries.
Instead of relaxing pressure, Pence argued that the United States should maintain its military and economic campaign against Iran.
“We should continue applying pressure, maintain the blockade and, if necessary, allow our armed forces to go back to work,” he said.
Trump has defended the agreement as a major diplomatic achievement, saying it significantly advances his administration’s long-standing objective of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The agreement has nevertheless drawn skepticism from several Republican lawmakers, who question whether its benefits justify the costs of a conflict that lasted more than three months, claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members and contributed to global concerns over oil prices, food supplies and international shipping.
More than 7,000 people have reportedly been killed across the Middle East during the conflict, with the heaviest casualties occurring in Iran and Lebanon.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the most important provision of the agreement is Tehran’s commitment never to acquire nuclear weapons.
“That is about 99.9% of what I wanted,” Trump said.
Iran’s nuclear program has remained one of the central sources of tension between Tehran, Washington and Israel for years.
Iran continues to insist its nuclear activities are intended exclusively for peaceful civilian energy purposes. However, international experts estimate the country possesses more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to between 20% and 60% purity, levels that significantly shorten the technical pathway toward weapons-grade material if further enriched.
Under the new framework, negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program will continue during a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, with both governments seeking to negotiate a comprehensive and legally binding peace agreement.
The proposed arrangement also calls for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping and the removal of the U.S. blockade imposed on Iranian ports in April.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors, carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments.
Trump said Monday that vessels transporting oil had already begun moving through the strait again. Iranian state media later reported that several oil tankers and commercial cargo ships had successfully passed through the waterway following the easing of restrictions.
Another point of contention has been the proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund linked to the broader peace framework.
Trump previously dismissed reports about the fund as “fake news.”
However, sources cited by Reuters have described the initiative as a privately financed investment vehicle rather than a traditional reconstruction or reparations program.
According to those sources, the financing would come from companies based in the United States, Gulf states, Asia, South America and Africa rather than from government appropriations.
Vice President JD Vance has also sought to reassure critics that American taxpayers would not finance Iran’s economic recovery.
“Not one penny of American money, under any circumstances, regardless of what Iran does, will go to Iran—not one penny of American money,” Vance said.
As negotiations continue over the next two months, the agreement is likely to remain the subject of intense political debate in Washington, where supporters view it as a path toward lasting regional stability while critics argue it risks rewarding Tehran before its nuclear capabilities have been permanently dismantled.
