Some Republican lawmakers are pushing back on a potential peace deal with Iran as President Donald Trump mulls renewed airstrikes.
The United States and Iran are reportedly close to securing an agreement that extends the ceasefire for 60 days. If finalized, the deal would include the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and lay the framework for discussions on Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
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Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) said the start of the Iran war would have been for nothing if the U.S. agrees to such a deal.
“The rumored 60-day ceasefire — with the belief that Iran will ever engage in good faith — would be a disaster,” Wicker posted on X. “Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!”
In a similar vein, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) made the case that a peace deal would only embolden Iran to continue holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage and threaten neighboring Arab nations.
“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 [dominant] force requiring a diplomatic solution,” Graham said on social media.
“This combination of Iran being perceived as having the ability to terrorize the Strait in perpetuity and the ability [to] inflict massive damage to Gulf oil infrastructure is a major shift of the balance of power in the region and over time will be a nightmare for Israel,” he added.
Graham then described himself as a “skeptic of the idea that Iran cannot be denied the ability to terrorize the Strait and the region cannot protect itself against Iranian military capability.” He urged, “It is important we get this right.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) was more direct in his call to continue bombing Iran.
“IRGC messed with the wrong president,” he wrote on X, sharing a video of a B-2 bomber initially posted by Dan Scavino. “Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes.”
Trump held a conference call with multiple Gulf states on Saturday to discuss the situation with Iran. The president is weighing whether a deal should be made or bombing should resume. He told Axios that he’s a “solid 50/50” between the two options and that he might make a decision by Sunday.
Pakistani mediators revealed that the diplomatic talks are progressing toward a potential agreement that could end the war nearly three months after the U.S. and Israel attacked the Islamic regime. Pakistan’s army chief left Tehran on Saturday.
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Trump intends to resolve the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused global oil prices to surge since late February, and compel Iran to hand over its enriched uranium. During a visit to India, Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed those demands.
“This issue needs to be solved, as the president said, one way or the other,” Rubio said. “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The straits need to be open without tolls. They need to turn over their enriched uranium.”
