Former Vice President Mike Pence told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that he believes the current version of President Trump’s peace deal with Iran is “much bigger than a mistake,” calling it a “deeply ill-advised” act of “appeasement.”
“I have very real concerns. Apparently like an awful lot of people, I just don’t trust the Iranians,” Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president throughout his first term, told Collins Wednesday. “What we’re hearing [about] this potential Memorandum of Understanding, it smacks of appeasement.”
Bloomberg shared Tuesday a purported leak of the 14-point MOU between Iran and the United States, in which America agrees to immediately lift all of its sanctions against Iran and ensure the “financing of at least $300 billion” toward the “rehabilitation and economic development” of Iran. In the memorandum, Iran also agrees to “maintain the status quo on its nuclear program.”
“I don’t think this is a moment for appeasement,” Pence said Wednesday. “I would urge the president to stand firm on the fundamental elements that Iran has to dismantle and abandon its nuclear program, dismantle its ballistic missile program, renounce the support of terrorist organizations and restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
“Calling for the United States and others to arrange for a $300 billion reconstruction fund when the IRGC and radical Islamists continue to be at the helm in Iran is deeply ill-advised,” he added. “The President should simply stand firm, draw that red line and if the Iranians won’t come to those fundamental terms that are in the interest of our security, Israel’s security and the peace and stability of the region, then I think we ought to let the armed forces of the United States open the Strait and eliminate the threat on our terms.”
You can watch Pence’s full interview with Collins yourself below.
The MOU is scheduled to be signed by Vice President JD Vance and representatives for Iran on Friday, June 19, effectively bringing an end to the war between America and Iran that has raged since Feb. 28. Collins pointedly asked Pence whether he believes Trump is intentionally having Vance sign the MOU instead of him so that the vice president “take the heat if this goes awry.”
“I respect the vice president’s role here, but I know who’s making the deal,” Pence replied. “The president is the one that’s green lighting this tactic and this strategy, and if I was still at his side, I would urge him to go back to his first instincts when it comes to Iran, and that is peace through strength.”
Collins bluntly asked Pence if he believes Trump’s current peace deal is a mistake, to which the former vice president said, “It’s much bigger than a mistake.”
“My concern is what appears to be leaking out, these immediate concessions, particularly sanctions waivers right out of the gate that would essentially be a lifeline to the Iranian regime, I think is ill-advised,” he explained. “We ought to keep the pressure on.”
In a Truth Social post shared Wednesday morning, President Trump boasted about his trip to France this week, which he called a “great success.” Regarding his pending deal with the Iranians, Trump added, “Mostly what people wanted to talk about, is the fact that Iran will not have a Nuclear Weapon, and that the Strait of Hormuz will immediately be opened! Great Numbers in all categories for the United States Economy.”
“Recent Stock Market numbers are through the roof because of the settlement and, likewise, Oil Prices are tumbling down!” the president’s post concluded.
