VP Vance defends MOU with Iran

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - In the wake of both the U.S. and Iran signing an agreement that for now ends the war in Iran, Thursday, Vice President JD Vance strongly defended the interim peace deal.

The 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the U.S. and Iran has come under intense scrutiny since it was made public. Thursday, Vice President JD Vance pushed back on criticism - including from some Republicans - that lifting sanctions against Iran amounted to a major concession.

Among those criticizing the MOU, Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy who called the deal “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades.”

That prompted Gray Media’s White House correspondent Jon Decker to ask the Vice President this question.

Jon Decker, White House Correspondent:

“As you know, because you were involved in this process, the MOU allows for Iran to sell its oil right away, which means that Iran can take in on a monthly basis, tens of millions of dollars. Iran’s economy was in tatters. How is that this not essentially giving a lifeline to Iran economically? And what’s to prevent Iran from using all of that money, all of those millions of dollars to prop up its proxies in the region?”

Vice President JD Vance:

“Well, the number one thing is that we actually see where the money moves down because of what we’ve done with the financial sanctions. We actually know where the money is going to move. And so we have great confidence that we’re gonna be able to see if they try to fund terrorist organizations. We’re going to be able to see that. But you said that millions of dollars is a lifeline right now. The Iranian nation is a nation of 94 million people. Their economy is in a freefall. They have sky high inflation. And fundamentally about $1 trillion of damage to their industrial base was caused over the last three months. The idea that selling a few million dollars worth of barrel barrels, or a few million dollars worth of oil, is going to fundamentally transform the Iranian economy. That’s just not true.”

The deal signed by President Trump and Iran’s President ends military operations for now and reopens the Strait of Hormuz for at least 60 days. During that time period, U.S. negotiators will work on getting Iran to agree to permanently end Iran’s nuclear program.

Also contained in the MOU: sanctions relief for Iran and a proposed $300 billion reconstruction plan. The vice president said Republican critics of the agreement ought to give peace a chance.

On social media, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei responded, “In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the MercifulTo the passionate and loyal nation of IranAs you have been informed, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the presidents of Iran and the United States of America.”

And furthermore, the ayatollah wrote:

“However, it’s self-evident that the in-person negotiations in the future will not mean acceptance of the enemy’s position. We hope the blessed prayers of our Master (may God hasten his noble reappearance) will bring all kinds of victories & triumphs to honorable Iranian nation.”