Netanyahu enlists US right-wing to pressure Trump on Iran deal: Report

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to influence a prospective US-Iran agreement through pro-Israel media figures and allied Republican senators, according to a report amid growing tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv.

Citing an Israeli source, CNN reported on Thursday that Netanyahu is attempting to shape the final outcome of the negotiations by mobilizing right-wing voices in Washington.

“Netanyahu is aiming to influence the final Iran deal … using right-wing media figures and friendly senators to exert pressure on … Trump,” the source said.

The reported effort comes despite indications that the White House is moving ahead with diplomacy with Tehran following the signing of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending months of unprovoked war on Iran.

According to CNN, Netanyahu believes no final agreement will ultimately be reached.

Since the memorandum was signed, Netanyahu has reportedly sought to leverage prominent conservative commentators, including Fox News host Mark Levin, who has repeatedly attacked the agreement.

Levin said on Wednesday that the deal “doesn’t even make any sense” and on Thursday criticized key provisions of the memorandum, calling the exclusion of Iran’s missile program “an outrage.”

Netanyahu-Trump relations reach breaking point: Israeli media

Relations between Netanyahu and Trump reportedly enter a critical phase and may soon escalate into an open political confrontation.

Opposition to the agreement has also come from across the Israeli regime’s political spectrum. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich described it as a “bad deal” for both Israel, while Netanyahu and war minister Israel Katz have continued to threaten military action against Iran.

Israeli media outlets have likewise voiced anger over the agreement. Hebrew-language reports suggest Washington denied Israeli officials access to the full text of the memorandum.

At the same time, reports point to increasing distrust between Trump and Netanyahu. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has begun independently verifying claims made by the Israeli premier during their phone conversations, a departure from his previous approach and a sign of waning confidence.

The memorandum, finalized after intensive mediation by Pakistan and support from other regional states, outlines a framework for further negotiations over the next 60 days.

The 14-point document calls for a permanent end to hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon, the phased lifting of US sanctions on Iran, the removal of the naval blockade and the restoration of commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days.

It also includes a US-backed economic reconstruction package worth at least $300 billion, oil export waivers, the release of frozen Iranian assets and a renewed Iranian commitment not to seek nuclear weapons, while discussions continue on Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile.

Despite the ceasefire framework, Israeli violations in Lebanon have continued. Israel remains in occupied areas of southern Lebanon and has carried out near-daily strikes since the memorandum was announced, raising questions about its commitment to the diplomatic process.

Vance’s remarks shocked Israeli circles: Israeli media

Signs of friction between Washington and Tel Aviv became more visible after US Vice President J.D. Vance publicly criticized members of Netanyahu’s cabinet for attacking the agreement with Iran.

According to reports cited by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Vance’s remarks sent shockwaves through Israeli political circles and prompted officials to limit their public response in an effort to avoid deepening tensions with Washington.

The criticism followed attacks on the agreement by Smotrich and the so-called national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who also opposed Trump’s calls for a ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon.

A source quoted by the newspaper said, “Vance in fact sent Netanyahu a message to control his ministers and not assume these disagreements would come without a cost.”

Speaking on Thursday, Vance warned Israeli officials against publicly confronting Trump. He described Trump as “only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic” to Israel.

“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” he said.

Vance also highlighted the extent of US military support for the Israeli regime, admitting that two-thirds of weapons used by the regime in its acts of aggression in the past years against Gaza, Lebanon and Iran have been funded by “American tax dollars.”

The vice president further stressed that Washington expected all parties to respect the ceasefire framework.

“The Israelis have to respect this peace process,” Vance said, adding that Trump expects regional actors “to work together and actually see this deal to completion.”

His comments echoed recent remarks by Trump, who criticized continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon and urged all parties to allow the agreement to move forward.

“We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel,” Trump wrote on social media on Thursday.

While Netanyahu has publicly sought to downplay disagreements with Washington, reports indicate he has privately expressed frustration over the agreement in what appears to be a widening gap between the two allies who jointly launched two acts of aggression against Iran in the past year without reaching their war objectives.

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