What They’re Saying About the Iran War—June 16, 2026
U.S.
President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalists
“Because you know better than anybody, the first group [of Iranian leaders], they are all dead. The second group, they are all dead. A part of the third group is gone. And we are dealing with people that, I think, are very rational people; they are nice to deal with. They are strong people, smart people, I think actually they are smarter than the first and second group. But they are not radicalized and they are looking to help their country.”
President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalists
[When asked about the Iranian regime continuing to kill their own people]
“Well we talked to them about, and we see. I will say the majority of that took place during the first and second regimes, much more so than now. It was much more severe, but it’s a terrible thing.”
President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalists
“When it goes to a second stage [of negotiations with the Iranian regime], which I think will actually be easier. I didn’t want to attack them last week but we had no choice. We did it twice, actually. We were doing it a third time and we were able to not have to do that. We have a deal that is a fair deal, that’s a good deal.”
President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalists
“We appreciate the relationship we have had over the short period of time with Iran. And the primary thing is—you know, we can talk about the Iran deal all day long. We are not investing any money. We have the right to if we want. But we aren’t investing any money—we didn’t pay for it like Obama did. He paid billions of dollars—he paid 1.7 billion from an airplane all the way with cash. I watched that—I couldn’t believe it. The one thing that is happening that is of note— frankly, the only thing that really matters to me—is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalists
“Whether they do well or poorly, they can’t have a nuclear weapon. That’s a big thing. If they had a nuclear weapons, they would have blown up Israel, they would have blown up the Middle East. And they probably would have taken a shot at us—we would’ve gotten them first I think. But they would have done tremendous damage. Had we not canceled the Obama nuclear deal, the JCPOA, you would have had them having a nuclear weapon five years ago. You know that expired, it was a road to a nuclear weapon, it was the dumbest deal I had ever seen. Paid them billions and billions of dollars, we pay nothing. It was a disaster, I terminated that in my first term, had I not terminated and we hit them hard. My second term, we sent in the B-2 bombers and we terminated their, I call it their nuclear dust, their enriched material. . . . The whole mountain collapsed on top of it, and frankly to go get it, we were going to go get it. To go get it is a big deal, because they say only China and us have the equipment where you can even get it. The whole mountain has collapsed on it, we have cameras on it, you could make the case why even bother, because it’s not really valuable, it’s probably a half a million dollars worth, it’s not very valuable, but I think psychologically we will want to get it.”
President Donald Trump | Truth Social
“Iran has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon! Also, the story that the U.S. is paying Iran 300 million Dollars is Fake News, put out by the Dumocrats!!!”
President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalists
“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East. And very importantly, the oil is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today. The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. They fully agreed to that with strong policing powers, and they won’t have a nuclear weapon, which is what it was all about.”
President Donald Trump | Comments to Journalists
“Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long and too many people are being killed. And you don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody. Because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses. And they’re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you. . . . I’m not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah. They should have been able to do the job faster. It just goes on forever. And when that happens, it throws a negative light on the big deal, and that’s the deal with Iran. . . . I didn’t like where, two hours before we’re signing the agreement, that there was an attack in Lebanon, in Beirut. . . . I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah. Because to be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job of doing it. . . . [Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is] very capable. And he’s been very good for me. He’s protected everything that I’ve asked for . . . And if Israel can’t do the job without killing everyone else, he’ll do the job. Syria will do the job.”
Vice President JD Vance | Press Interview
[In response to a question by Jake Tapper about whether the agreement with Iran addresses Iran’s missile program and support for terrorist groups]
“Well, it does, Jake, because what the agreement does is fundamentally set up a structure whereby if the Iranians behave like a normal country, then we want to treat them like a normal country and welcome them into the world economy. What paragraph one of the agreement says is effectively that Iran commits itself, just as the United States commits itself, to regional peace and stability. And part of that, Jake, is that the Iranians have to stop funding violent terrorist organizations, they have to stop funding regional instability. But the important thing about this agreement, Jake, is everything Iran gives us on the nuclear program, and of course, that’s the most important thing, is the commitment verifiable to never building a nuclear weapon. All of these things come along with benefits if Iran delivers and nothing if Iran doesn’t deliver. So we certainly expect as part of our broader agreement, Jake, [that] Iran is going to stop funding terrorist organizations. Most importantly, they’re going to have a verifiable commitment to not building a nuclear weapon. But the good thing about the way we’ve set this up is that we have the leverage here. We have the ability to welcome them into the world economy if they perform. We also have the ability to say, ‘You know what? You don’t get anything if you don’t meet your end of the obligation.”
Vice President JD Vance | Press Interview
“There hasn’t been a single dollar of sanctions relief or unfrozen assets, either from the United States or any of our allies in the Gulf . . . They only get that benefit if they meet their obligations under the agreement.”
Vice President JD Vance | Press Interview
“The Iranians don't get a dime unless they behave and change their behavior. . . . [Iran] never gets a dime of American taxpayer money. Ever. Full stop. Not even close.”
Vice President JD Vance | Press Interview
“If the Iranians are behaving like a normal country and if they make their country investable, then the Gulf Arab states may decide to invest in that country. . . . Not a single dime of that money comes from the United States.”
Vice President JD Vance | Press Interview
“For 47 years, this country [Iran] has been a thorn in our side—it has been kind of a basket case for Democrat and Republican administrations. The coolest thing about the process we have made over the last few weeks is that you see people within the Iranian system—senior leadership even IRGC officials—saying, ‘You know what, we may have some animosity, we may have some mistrust, but we recognize the way we have done business with the United States for 47 years is a mistake; let’s try something else. We are going to verify that, of course, but we are certainly willing to try something else if they comply.”
Vice President JD Vance | Press Interview
“If the Iranians are willing to give a long-term commitment, along with proper verification, to giving up that nuclear weapon, we’re willing to welcome them into the world economy to lift some sanctions and to turn over a new leaf in that relationship.”
Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz | X
“The President has put our country first and negotiated a peace deal that will keep us safe and prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon. From the very beginning, @POTUS maximized our leverage, limited casualties, and brought credible military force to ensure the best possible outcome. This is one hell of a way to celebrate a birthday. Congratulations, Mr. President.”
Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee | X
“Fortunately Sec Rubio made clear that Iran & Hezbollah aren’t linked in a deal. Israel doesn’t need Iran's permission to defend itself. The tether of terror must end.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune | Comments to Journalists
“I don’t know enough about [the U.S.–Iran MOU] to say [whether it’s a good deal] . . . I hope we get more details about it before Friday. . . . My understanding of what it entails—again, not having seen anything—I think the issues are going to be compliance and how you’re going to enforce that and what are the financial incentives the Iranians are going to have from our country. . . . I think there are some requirements that are triggered because of the nuclear components of the deal, in terms of notification or informing Congress. I know there is probably some expectation that there may be a vote at some point. . . . For sure, our members are going to have a lot of questions about it.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer | Floor Remarks
“We still don’t know the details. The American people need to know exactly what’s in the deal. . . . We know this for certain: We are worse off than before Trump began his foolish war of choice.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton | Press Interview
“Israel has been a model partner to the United States in this battle against Iran. We have fought alongside Israel forces in a way we haven’t fought alongside a peer military going back to Great Britain in World War II. It’s obvious and understandable that the Israeli people are even more concerned and invested in the outcome here given that they are a small nation that live in the neighborhood, and we are a very big nation that lives very far away and has many different concerns both at home and in other parts of the world. I understand the Israeli people may be following this a bit more closely than many Americans are, but I think it’s premature again for anyone to reach a final and firm judgment until the text of the agreement is released.”
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast | Press Interview
“Everything is about change in behavior. Yhat is the key term that I think people should focus on that are viewing this. What is the change of behavior that we want from Iran, those things already listed no proxy work, freedom of navigation through the Straits of Hormuz, no nuclear program. All of that changed number one, well beyond the JCPOA, just because of Epic Fury and our demonstration to Iran that we are not going to sit back for 47 years, be attacked constantly, and pretend it never happened. Most Americans don’t realize that in the 30 months prior to Epic Fury beginning, the United States of America was attacked over 350 times. We lost U.S. service members from Iran attacking us at the end of the Biden administration—most people weren’t paying attention to that taking place but it was. This no longer goes into a situation where we don’t respond, that is substantially different from the JCPOA. Then again, the two points that I already made, we are not sending them any pallets of cash without some kind of change of behavior, that has to take place. And again, it looks like an end to the nuclear program, not an opportunity to continue enriching, those are all substantial changes. In addition to Iran proper, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and I can send you after this a link of hundreds of attacks on merchant marine vessels.”
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast | Press Interview
“. . . [T]he difference between JCPOA and what’s going on today is you are not going to have pallets of cash going to an Iran without any change of behavior. We have already destroyed Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan, and it looks like we are going to have commitments that they won’t be rebuilding this. That we will be able to bring in military assets to remove what can be removed, that’s not buried in there. They’re acknowledging—Iran, that is to say, is acknowledging—that Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis are an intrinsic part of them and it’s looking like optimistically we’re going to be able to get them to stop supporting them. And we’re going to get freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and working with their ballistic missile program and drone program to not have those be challenges for us. Those are huge challenges compared to the JCPOA, which enabled enrichment.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen | Statement
“Diplomatic progress is welcome and long overdue. While we await additional details about the agreement that President Trump announced, here’s what we do know. The key objectives of this conflict have not been met, from changing the regime to ending Iran’s nuclear program and reducing its capacity to threaten its neighbors through drones, missiles and proxies. It’s clear from his ever-shifting statements and from the deadlock we’ve been in for months that President Trump did not have a plan going into the conflict on how to end it. And we know that the American people have paid the price for the President’s mishandling of the war, from 14 service members dead to higher prices at the pump and grocery store. There’s no question that America’s position is weaker now than at the beginning of the conflict. That’s particularly true because of Iran’s new willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz and hold the global economy hostage. Congress must be immediately briefed on the terms of this agreement and by law will consider any nuclear deal reached.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham | Comments to Journalists
“The MOU being described by us sounds really very good; the MOU being described by Iran sounds awful. . . . If they can enrich [uranium] anywhere at all, then it’s the same as JCPOA. If they can’t enrich, then that makes it a good deal.”
“To me one of the most important things said by President Trump today is that it is his desire to expand the Abraham Accords, bringing historic stability and prosperity to the Middle East. President Trump is correct in his analysis that this can only be achieved if the region believes Iran has been weakened or Iran has changed its behavior in terms of being a disruptive force and supporting terrorist organizations. I sincerely hope the upcoming negotiations to forever foreclose Iran’s nuclear ambitions are a success. Due to President Trump’s actions, it is clear to me Iran and its proxies are incredibly weakened and their ability to generate another October 7 doesn’t exist, and there has been a major setback in their nuclear capability. The ultimate win for taking on Iran is to open up a pathway to peace through Abraham Accord expansion and build on regional integration. If the conflict with Iran yields this outcome, it will be one of the most successful military operations in American history. Mr. President, you are right to keep your eye on the big prize: regional integration and lasting peace.”
“The leaked Iran deal that is floating around suggests that this is a pretty simple transaction: we are paying Iran billions to reopen the Strait. Period. Stop. That’s probably why they are refusing to release it.”
“There is a version of the MOU circulating online that includes no Iranian commitment to destroy their stockpile. Why won’t the Administration just release the text to clear up confusion? (FYI the JCPOA required Iran to get rid of its stockpiles)”
Sen. John Cornyn | Comments to Journalists
““I don’t expect that [Congress having the opportunity to vote on the U.S.–Iran agreement] to happen. They’ll try to write it around the treaty requirements, so I don’t expect we’ll vote on it.”
Sen. James Lankford | Comments to Journalists
““If you want a deal to last, it can’t be an executive agreement. We’ve got to have a vote of Congress to be able to solidify [it] long term.”
Sen. Rick Scott | Quote from News Article
“I can tell you one thing, I don’t think there's anybody in Congress that’s ever going to support giving money to them. And, matter of fact, if we have any of their money, they ought to pay for what costs us to do this, to try to bring them to their senses, to stop killing us.”
Sen. Bill Hagerty | Press Interview
“This [the U.S.–Iran MOU] isn’t at all like the JCPOA. President Obama actually paid for Iran’s terrorism, he funded it. [President Trump] has put the Iranian nuclear program at the bottom of a mountain. He’s put their navy at the bottom of the sea.”
Sen. Thom Tillis | Comments to Journalists
“If it’s a secret deal, then how can I take it seriously?”
“It’s sad and disturbing to see grifters rushing to flood the zone with misinformation and undermine President Trump’s historic negotiations. President Trump is on the verge of securing what many foreign policy ‘experts’ in Washington have failed to do for decades: the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program and peace in the Middle East.”
ISRAEL
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | Address
“This agreement was made by the United States, by the president of the United States. That’s his decision. . . . We have our own interests.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | Address
“For decades, I have been fighting against Iran’s efforts to arm itself with nuclear weapons. I can define it as my life’s mission. I have met this challenge to this day, and I will continue to meet it in the future. With an agreement, without an agreement—Iran will not have nuclear weapons. Not today, and not tomorrow. As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel—this will not happen. . . . But I tell you, citizens of Israel, the struggle is not over and done. We will need to maintain our vigilance, remain strong and determined to defend ourselves as required. This is true not only vis-à-vis Iran. This is also true vis-à-vis Iran’s terror proxies, which we have hit in an unprecedented manner. We did it in Gaza, we did it in Lebanon, in Syria, in Yemen, we did it in the refugee camps in Judea and Samaria—we did it everywhere.”
IRAN
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi | Press Conference
“The end of the war in Lebanon is an inseparable part of the complete end of the conflict. Ending the war also includes ending the occupation. Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war cannot be considered fully concluded. . . . Any military attack by Israel against Lebanon from this point forward, as well as any continued occupation of Lebanese territory, will be regarded by us as a violation of the memorandum of understanding.”
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei | Report in the Press
“[Iran is] not seeking to levy transit tolls; however, fees will be charged in exchange for the services that are provided.”
Central Bank of Iran Head Abdolnaser Hemmati | Comments to State Media
“The provisions of the memorandum of understanding have been drafted in such a way that the commitments of the American side regarding the release of assets are explicitly and enforceably specified, and the United States will be obligated to fulfill its commitments.”
Ebrahim Azizi, Head of Parliament’s National Security Commission | X
“Iranian resilience forced a strategic pivot: the U.S. came to the table on Iran’s terms. Now, Washington must prove its commitment by ending the war against Lebanon and upholding every clause of the MOU. Any breach will be met with a decisive, crushing response. The era of unilateral imposition against Iranians is over.”
EUROPE
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz | X
“The agreement with Iran is an opportunity—for the stability of the region and for the global economy. The agreed-upon peace must now hold. We are united on this as @G7.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen | X
“With the US-Iran agreement, it is time for Iran to end its unjustified attacks against its neighbours.”
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