Israeli Anger Over Agreement with Iran: "If We Had Known the Outcomes of the Political War, We Might Not Have Engaged in It"

SadaNews - The details of the framework agreement announced by the United States and Iran have gradually begun to unfold, as Washington affirms that the current understandings could open the door to a broader agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear program, while Israel is handling the developments with concern and anger amidst admissions that the declared goals of the war have not been achieved.

In this context, a senior Israeli official told the military correspondent for the newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" and analyst at i24NEWS, Yossi Yehoshua: "If we had known that the war would end this way politically, it is not certain that it would have been worthwhile to engage in it."

This came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the outcomes of the war in his first appearance after the announcement of the U.S.-Iran agreement, declaring a commitment to maintaining military presence in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, asserting that Israel has pushed the "Iranian nuclear threat" away for years, while responding to his critics by stating that he "did not make a mistake."

The American site "Axios" and Israeli Channel 12 reported that a senior American official stated that U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf signed the memorandum of understanding related to the agreement.

The official added that the full details of the agreement will be published within 24 to 48 hours, while it is anticipated that the formal signing ceremony will be held next Friday in Geneva.

Trump, in his first statements after the announcement of the agreement, said, "The agreement has already been signed, and the Strait of Hormuz has partially opened," adding that U.S. sanctions will not be lifted until Iran fulfills the required commitments.

Trump considered that the agreement, if implemented, will lead to a decrease in oil prices and improvement in financial markets, noting that oil prices could return to levels that prevailed before the war.

300 Billion Dollars and Frozen Funds

American officials revealed that the discussions include the gradual release of frozen Iranian funds, in addition to the establishment of an investment fund and reconstruction worth up to 300 billion dollars.

In an interview with CBS, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said that Iran could gain access to a 300 billion dollar fund financed by Gulf states, but that would be conditional on fulfilling specific commitments.

He added that hardline parties within Iran might focus on the economic gains Iran will receive, ignoring the extent of the concessions required from them in exchange for these gains.

U.S. officials also talked about considering the release of frozen Iranian funds, emphasizing that any such move would be gradual and linked to verifiable Iranian steps regarding the nuclear file.

An American official stressed that Washington "will not give Iran any money if it continues to fund terrorism," as he put it.

Direct Communications and Concessions Not Raised Before the War

A U.S. official stated that the American administration is conducting direct communications with senior officials in the Iranian regime, adding that these direct channels have not existed for decades.

He mentioned that Tehran has become ready to discuss issues it was not prepared to address before the war, considering that the economic pressures and losses incurred by the Iranian economy during the war played a crucial role in reaching the current understandings.

Another U.S. official emphasized that the United States will not reduce its military presence in the Middle East before reaching an agreement on the nuclear program, but noted that this could change if progress is made in implementing the understandings.

He also warned that the Trump administration still possesses "many tools" that can be used if the negotiations stumble or if an agreement on the nuclear program is not reached quickly.

Israel: "Horrific Agreement" and War Goals Unachieved

Meanwhile, Israeli Channel 13 reported that Israeli officials are still trying to obtain the full details of the agreement amid anger within both political and security levels.

The channel quoted Israeli officials saying that Israel feels it has been "thrown under the wheels of the bus," while another official described the agreement as "horrific for us."

Israeli estimates also acknowledged that the goals declared by the government for the war are still far from being achieved, whether concerning the future of the Iranian regime or the nuclear program or the missile program.

According to what Israeli media reported from officials in the cabinet, the agreement "does not invest in the military achievements" that Israel claims to have achieved during the war, nor does it translate them into clear political gains.

Israeli officials also considered that the Trump administration has practically retreated from the objectives that were presented at the beginning of the war, foremost among them the complete dismantling of the Iranian nuclear infrastructure, limiting the missile program, and halting Tehran's support for its allies in the region, in exchange for focusing on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming trade and energy flow.

One official stated that the agreement "misses opportunities created by the war and does not translate them into results," adding that the United States acted based on its interests linked to energy prices, the American economy, and its relations with Gulf states.

Israeli Fears of Returning to the Previous Situation

Despite attempts by some Israeli officials to defend the war's outcomes, cabinet officials admitted that the current understandings might return the situation to what it was before the war.

Israeli estimates indicated that the chances of reaching a final agreement within the specified sixty-day negotiation period are "very slim," and that the most likely scenario is the continuation of negotiations for a long time with the fundamental files, foremost of which is the nuclear file, remaining unresolved.

Israeli officials also warned that easing economic pressures on Iran, whether through the release of frozen funds, facilitating oil exports, or establishing new funding mechanisms, could provide the Iranian regime with an economic and political respite after the war.

In this context, a senior Israeli official summarized the situation by saying that the United States "is not obligated to act according to Israeli interests," adding that Trump has "his own interests and relations with Gulf states and his economic and political calculations," referring to the increasing divergence between Washington and Tel Aviv regarding the outcomes of the war and the path of understandings with Iran.