Senator Lindsey Graham wrote Wednesday evening that signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran could be beneficial to the United States, arguing it would help open the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities with Iran. Graham said a verifiable deal on Iran's nuclear program remains uncertain, but he sees 'little downside' in trying.
Senator Lindsey Graham published a statement Wednesday evening offering cautious support for the emerging US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Graham argued the agreement could serve US interests by reopening the Strait of Hormuz — a key strategic waterway blocked by Iran since April — and halting broader hostilities with Tehran. He acknowledged that whether a 'verifiable deal' on Iran's nuclear program can be reached is 'yet to be determined,' but described the attempt as having 'little downside.' The senator's remarks come as the full 14-point MOU text circulated widely in recent days, detailing sanctions relief, a naval blockade end, and a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran. As The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday, President Trump himself was seen in a pool clip citing his own 2020 adage that 'Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation' — a line that captured the administration's cautious optimism. However, Israeli officials have expressed reservations, with Israel Hayom reporting Sunday that Israel has blocked an Iranian demand for an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon as part of the understandings. Graham's statement does not address the deal's implications for Israel or regional allies directly. What remains unconfirmed: the timeline for signing the MOU and whether it includes nuclear-dismantlement milestones or only a freeze.
The senator's latest statement follows his Tuesday evening expression of optimism, in which he hoped the negotiations would succeed and framed a potential deal as a path to peace via expanded Abraham Accords and regional integration. The thread has shown an evolution in Graham's public posture: from general hope on Tuesday to specific conditionality on Wednesday — citing the Strait of Hormuz reopening as a concrete potential benefit — while the nuclear question remains open.
As The Zioneer backgrounded on Sunday and Monday, the emerging MOU has been driven by Trump administration concerns over the global economic impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure, and Israeli apprehensions have been reported, including blocking an Iranian linkage of the deal to an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon. Analysts cited earlier this week warned the agreement may prioritize Hormuz stability over Israeli security, with no clear mechanism to constrain Iranian proxy rebuilding.
What remains unconfirmed: the timeline for signing the MOU and whether it includes nuclear-dismantlement milestones or only a freeze. Graham's statement does not address the deal's implications for Israel or regional allies directly.
5 developments
- DevelopingE4 powers welcome US-Iran MOU, urge swift Strait of Hormuz reopening
- ConfirmedU.S. and Iran reportedly near agreement on nuclear freeze, sanctions relief, and Strait of Hormuz reopening
- DevelopingSenator Graham: Stop restraining Israel, US should use military force if Iran does not sign deal immediately
- StrongIranian source: Strait of Hormuz reopening to begin Friday after MoU signing
Source and signal
- Internal intake