US President Donald Trump has come under sharp criticism from fellow Republicans who called the proposed agreement with Iran a “disaster.”
Trump announced on Saturday that the US and Iran are close to finalizing a deal. The proposed terms include reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, allowing Tehran to resume free oil sales while delaying nuclear talks to a later phase.
‘Disastrous Mistake’
Senior GOP members and lawmakers have raised concerns over the proposed deal with Iran, arguing that it contains major concessions from the US that would make the war meaningless.
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Roger Wicker, said that the proposed 60-day ceasefire with Iran “would be a disaster.”
“Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!” he posted on X.
Similarly, Sen. Ted Cruz described Trump’s decision to strike a deal with Iran as “the most consequential decision of his second term.” However, he criticized the emerging details about the deal.
“If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime—still run by Islamists who chant “death to America”—now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” he wrote on X.
Potential Deal Details
According to leaked details, the proposed 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) centers on a ceasefire extension aimed at completely reopening the Strait of Hormuz free of tolls, while Iran is required to clear its deployed naval mines to restore unrestricted shipping.
In exchange, the US will lift its defensive naval blockade on Iranian ports and issue temporary sanctions waivers to allow Tehran to resume free oil exports.
On the nuclear front, the framework binds Iran to a pledge never to pursue nuclear weapons, while leaving the exact mechanics of freezing its enrichment program and dismantling its highly enriched uranium stockpile to be negotiated during the 60-day window.
Washington will simultaneously negotiate permanent sanctions relief and the unfreezing of Iranian assets. Meanwhile, US forces will remain stationed in the region until a final, comprehensive deal is signed.
Additionally, the draft explicitly outlines an end to the war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, though US officials maintain that Israel reserves the right to act in self-defense if Hezbollah attempts to rearm.
However, disputes remain over some proposed terms, including the control of Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear issue. Tehran insists the critical waterway will remain under Iranian management.
Furthermore, Iran maintains it has not made any commitments regarding the details of the nuclear issue and is not willing to tie the release of its frozen assets to nuclear materials, reported Tasnim News Agency.
Hawks Alarmed
The emerging details and perceived concessions from Washington have raised alarm among several US foreign policy hawks, including Trump‘s close allies. Sen. Lindsey Graham warned that any premature deal could portray Iran as a regional dominant force.
“If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate force requiring a diplomatic solution,” he said, adding that this will be a “nightmare for Israel.”
In a later post on X, Graham argued that any long-term agreement with Iran should be tied to expanding peace accords between Muslim countries and Israel, praising the proposed deal as a “brilliant move” by Trump.
Mike Pompeo, a former Secretary of State and CIA director under the first Trump administration, blasted the agreement as “not remotely America First.”
“It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, John Bolton, a national security adviser in Trump’s first term who turned a critic, said that the proposed deal favors the Iranian regime.
“If news reports about the impending Iran deal are correct, the ayatollahs will have won a significant victory. They will be back on the road to nuclear weapons, supporting global terrorism and repressing their own people,” he said.
Trump Pushing Back
In response to the fierce backlash from Republicans, Trump defended himself, dismissing criticism as the deal “is not even fully negotiated yet.” In a social media post, he compared this deal to the one agreed by former President Barack Obama in 2015.
“If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama, which gave Iran massive amounts of CASH, and a clear and open path to a Nuclear Weapon. Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet,” Trump said.
“So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about. Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don’t make bad deals!” he added.
Moreover, Trump said he told his representatives “not to rush into a deal.” He noted that the blockade will remain in effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed. “Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” he said.
