Vance says some in Israeli government tried to influence US over Iran deal

WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance said some figures within the Israeli government had sought to shape American public opinion against a US-brokered agreement aimed at ending the war with Iran, according to remarks made in a podcast episode with Joe Rogan released on Wednesday.

Vance said he was defending the agreement reached last month to halt the conflict with Iran, even as critics in both the United States and Israel have argued that the arrangement did not restrain Iran’s missile programme, offered no defined route for dismantling its nuclear facilities, and limited Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In the podcast, Vance said he was certain that some people inside the Israeli government wanted Washington to move away from that policy because they wished to see the military operation continue.

"I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there have been people within the Israeli government who are trying to, like, actually shift us away from that policy because they want to continue the military campaign"

He said that while he maintained good relations with some Israeli officials, he believed others were attempting to sway opinion in the United States in order to prolong the conflict.

"there are some people within their system that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that are manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely"

Concerns over influence campaigns

Vance said efforts by foreign governments to influence US policy were not unusual, adding that allies and adversaries alike engaged in such activity. He said that in itself did not trouble him, whether the country involved was Israel, Russia or another state, describing it as part of political leadership in 2026.

He added, however, that he objected when such campaigns affected decision-making in Washington.

"What does bother me is when those operations, those influence campaigns, actually affect American political judgment"

Asked whether he believed the United States would have entered the most recent war with Iran without Israeli influence, Vance replied in the affirmative.

"yes, yes I do."

He also said President Donald Trump independently held strong views that Iran should not obtain a nuclear weapon, adding that he agreed with that position.

"I think the president, separate from any influence from Israel, believes very strongly, and again I agree with this, that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon"

Earlier tensions over the deal

The comments reflect an expanding public divide over policy between the two countries and echo Vance’s earlier criticism of Israeli government positions. In June, he sharply criticised Israeli opponents of the Iran agreement and said Trump was Israel’s only ally, while referring to the billions of dollars in US defence assistance provided to the country.

Senior Israeli officials speaking anonymously have said the agreement was unfavourable to Israel because it did not address concerns about Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, a position they said was widely shared across Israel’s leadership.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.