U.S. officials are rushing to preserve the framework, concerned that a planned deal with Iran is at risk of collapse after Israel targeted Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the people said.
U.S. officials communicated with Qatari officials who were in Tehran to finalize the deal, sources said, in an effort to prevent further conflict.
Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News on Sunday that the United States had seen “evidence that Iran was planning to launch a large number of missiles toward Israel.”
“As we communicated with them in the lead up to this signed peace agreement, they assured us that they were not going to cater to the Israelis and that they were going to sign this agreement and achieve peace,” Vance said.
Officials said Israel’s attack on Lebanon helped propel final negotiations.
US officials told CNN that President Donald Trump was furious about the Israeli attack and used expletives in a phone conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He also used expletives during a phone call with CNN political and world affairs analyst and Axios correspondent Barak Rabid, criticizing Netanyahu’s actions.
President Trump told the New York Times that Israel stands to benefit from the deal and called Prime Minister Netanyahu “a very difficult man.”
“And to be honest, he should be very grateful to us for doing something like this, because if Iran had nuclear weapons, Israel wouldn’t exist for two hours,” he said.
President Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu in recent weeks as the Israeli leader continues to attack Lebanon. The attacks have repeatedly put peace talks between the United States and Iran in jeopardy.
Israel has not yet commented on the deal.
