▲ Senator Lindsey Graham
Although U.S. President Donald Trump announced an agreement to end the war with Iran on June 14 (local time), hardliners within the Republican Party are expressing concerns.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Trump and a Republican hawk on Iran, stated on X (formerly Twitter) following the announcement, "I am glad to hear that we have reached an agreement with Iran on a Memorandum of Understanding to open the Strait of Hormuz." He added, "I will be closely monitoring the future negotiation process regarding Iran's nuclear program and other issues."
Graham further noted, "I am a bit concerned that Iran's perspective on the agreement seems different from that of the U.S. negotiating team," adding, "Congratulations to everyone who brought us this far. Time will tell."
He also emphasized that, by law, any nuclear agreement with Iran must undergo congressional review and a vote.
This is interpreted as pressure to ensure that the upcoming 60 days of formal nuclear negotiations with Iran yield results that satisfy Republican hardliners.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served in the first Trump administration, expressed skepticism in an interview with the conservative media outlet NewsNation just before the deal was announced, stating, "I am not worried about President Trump's intentions. I just don't trust Iran."
"The President and his staff know that no deal is better than a bad deal," Pence pointed out. "Unless Iran abandons its nuclear program, dismantles its missile program, immediately opens the Strait of Hormuz, and stops supporting terrorist groups in the region, I believe it is better to let the U.S. military finish the job."
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers from the opposition party spent the weekend issuing warnings and criticisms.
Senator Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized President Trump in an interview with Fox News, suggesting that the President wanted to give himself a birthday gift by announcing the end-of-war deal on his 80th birthday.
"We spent billions of dollars, 14 people were killed, hundreds were wounded, and the global economy was thrown into chaos. And then we ended up with less than the 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' (JCPOA)," he added.
Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, criticized the MOU with Iran the previous day, calling it "basically a surrender document." He questioned, "100 billion dollars in taxes were spent and 14 Americans died. How can it be a victory to reach an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which was already open before the war?"
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also stated, "The war with Iran was reckless and a disaster," adding, "Iran has become stronger, and Americans have become less safe."
As the U.S. pushes for an end-of-war agreement that focuses on opening the Strait of Hormuz while deferring nuclear negotiations, frustration is spreading, particularly among Republican hardliners who are asking, "Why did we go to war in the first place?"
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.