Vance accuses Israel of manipulating US public against deal with Iran

United States Vice President JD Vance says some members of Israel’s government are trying to use US public opinion ⁠to prolong the war with Iran.

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Mr Vance, in a podcast interview that aired on Wednesday, accused some members of the Israeli government of trying to sabotage negotiations with Iran by manipulating US public opinion a direct criticism of one of Washington’s closest allies.

The vice president made these remarks during an interview with US conservative podcaster Joe Rogan.

“There’s a literal foreign influence campaign being funded to tank the very deal that I was pursuing.

“You have seen this very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign to try to derail the negotiation and try to derail the deal,” he told Mr Rogan.

Mr Vance had been heavily involved in the negotiation that led to the agreement reached in mid-June. The signed MOU allowed for the continuation of talks, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the now-abandoned 60-day ceasefire.

He also defended the MOU, which spooked Israel, saying that agreeing to a 60-day negotiating period would eventually lead to a final deal. He also urged Israeli leaders not to attack “the only powerful ally” they have “anywhere left in the entire world.”

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But the deal did not produce the promised result due to tensions over the Strait. The US has consistently launched attacks on Iran for six nights in the past week. US strikes on Thursday hit civilian infrastructure, killing two people and injuring four in Southern Iran. It attacked power facilities and a train station.

READ ALSO: US strikes civilian infrastructure in southern Iran

However, Mr Vance said that there are “some people 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.”

He also said he “doesn’t mind” what he described as “certain elements of the Israeli government” criticising the US position, because foreign governments try to influence the government all the time.

“What bothers me is actually when Americans allow, meaning American leadership allows, that influence to affect their judgement and to affect what they are advocating for,” he said.

He also admitted that an Israeli-linked influence campaign had targeted him personally over his diplomatic outreach to Iran.

“People are attacking me viciously,” he stated.

He said he was attacked for “quite literally” trying to “accomplish the negotiation objective that the president set for the country.”