Washington, June 21, 2026
A sharp political battle over US President Donald Trump’s Iran agreement intensified on Sunday, with former National Security Adviser Susan Rice calling the framework a “jaw-dropping, horrific surrender” while the administration argued it had forced Tehran into negotiations from a position of weakness.
The exchange highlighted growing divisions in Washington over the President’s strategy towards Iran following months of military confrontation, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
Appearing on ABC’s “This Week”, Rice delivered one of the strongest critiques yet from a senior former Obama administration official.
“It’s egregious,” Rice said, arguing that the United States had granted major concessions before securing a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme. She described the framework as a “jaw-dropping, horrific surrender” and added: “With reparations.”
Rice argued that Iran had already been allowed to sell oil freely, regain access to the international banking system and move towards recovering frozen assets despite the absence of a final settlement.
“As the secretary just acknowledged, Iran, as of the signing of the agreement, so on Thursday, is now able to sell all of its oil and all of its oil products on the market unimpeded,” she said.
She also raised concerns about provisions she said would eventually lift sanctions and reduce the US military footprint near Iran.
“The other crazy thing about this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that sets us back enormously is that we commit to withdraw US military forces from the vicinity of Iran,” Rice said.
The Trump administration strongly rejected the criticism.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright argued that Iran had entered the talks in a far weaker position than in previous negotiations because of military pressure and the reopening of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve just never been in this situation before,” Wright said. “They don’t have the leverage they’ve always had in talks before.”
Wright maintained that Tehran’s military capabilities had been significantly degraded and said the administration had successfully used pressure to bring Iranian leaders to the negotiating table.
The disagreement also exposed contrasting views of how the United States should deal with Iran. Rice argued that diplomacy should have been pursued from the outset.
“It was obvious for decades that the only way to resolve this problem is through diplomacy,” she said.
She further warned that Iran’s nuclear programme remained largely intact.
“There is nothing in that agreement that requires that the nuclear material … will be removed from Iran,” Rice said.
The debate comes as Vice President JD Vance prepares for talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland aimed at advancing negotiations on a broader settlement. The outcome could shape US policy in the Middle East and influence global energy markets.(Agency)
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