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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that negotiations with the United States are progressing toward a final agreement, though key issues remain unresolved. He disclosed that the emerging framework is structured in two phases, with the controversial nuclear component intentionally deferred until the second stage.

Discussing the outcome of the recent conflict, Araghchi projected confidence about Iran’s position and argued that Tehran entered negotiations from a position of strength.

“The best time to end a war is when we hold the upper hand; we are truly victorious on the battlefield.”

He also highlighted the duration and intensity of the confrontation, portraying Iran’s resistance as a significant achievement.

“We stood against the world’s apparent superpower for 40 days.”

Addressing questions surrounding the ongoing negotiations, Araghchi said the public would receive a full explanation once discussions are completed, while emphasizing that the process has not yet reached its conclusion.

“The final agreement hasn’t been reached yet; if it is finalized, I promise to explain every single clause,” he stated, further clarified the structural sequencing of the emerging framework, “The agreement includes two stages, and we have moved the nuclear issue to the second stage.”

The foreign minister also reiterated Iran’s commitment to Hezbollah and other allied groups throughout the region, insisting that any end to hostilities must address multiple fronts rather than Iran alone.

“We will never leave Hezbollah in Lebanon alone, and the end of the war will also encompass Lebanon and all other fronts.”

Expanding on that point, Araghchi said Iran has made clear that any broader settlement must include developments in southern Lebanon as well.

“Ending the war in the agreement also means Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied areas in southern Lebanon, and we have stated this explicitly to the other side.”

Turning to the diplomatic provisions under discussion, Araghchi claimed the United States is prepared to formally acknowledge Iran’s sovereignty as part of the arrangement.

“In this agreement, the United States will state in writing that it respects Iran’s sovereignty.”

He added that the memorandum currently being negotiated reaches well beyond military matters and includes economic and financial issues as well.

“The memorandum of understanding includes the nuclear issue, sanctions relief, reconstruction, and blocked/frozen funds.”

Araghchi’s comments came after President Donald Trump told Axios reporter Barak Ravid on Friday that he believes a deal with Iran could be finalized as soon as this weekend or by Monday.

Later in the day, a senior administration official echoed that optimism, telling reporters that the two sides appear to be nearing the finish line.

“We do expect to be signing this agreement with Iran over the next few days. We assess it at 85%, but not 100%. We feel very good about the deal. We are not quite at the finish line but we are very close,” said the official.

The official outlined several major elements expected to be included in the agreement, among them the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of the American blockade on Iranian ports, and the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program. Under the proposed arrangement, Iran’s enriched nuclear material would be transferred to U.S. custody, destroyed, and removed from the country.

According to the official, Iran would receive substantial economic relief if it fulfills its obligations under the agreement.

The official stated that Iran would be “relieved of a lot of the economic pressures that they’ve been under for many, many years” if the country complies with the deal’s provisions. The official further stressed, “Those benefits only accrue if they actually deliver.”

{Matzav.com}

A routine school outing took an unexpected turn when approximately 70 girls from a Monsey school found themselves navigating a massive drainage tunnel beneath Nyack, New York, before safely emerging from various manholes throughout the village, Matzav.com has learned.

The students, from Bais Yaakov Toras Imecha in Monsey, were participating in a school trip about 50 miles north of New York City when they entered a large drainage system near Nyack’s downtown area.

According to reports, authorities were alerted after a police officer noticed a large group of young girls climbing out of a manhole cover in an alley near a local restaurant. Additional students were reportedly seen emerging from other manholes in different parts of the village. Despite the unusual circumstances, all of the girls exited the drainage tunnel on their own and no serious injuries were reported.

The incident drew attention throughout the community as dozens of students unexpectedly surfaced from the underground drainage network after what officials described as an unauthorized excursion through the tunnel system.

Nyack Mayor Joe Rand said the girls had been visiting Memorial Park during the school trip when they discovered the entrance to the drainage tunnel and decided to explore it.

“They saw the channel, they saw the cave, and thought, let’s go take a look, let’s see what’s in there,” he said. “And they started walking, and they just kept walking and walking and walking.”

Speaking to CBS, Rand said the group traveled roughly a kilometer through the dark tunnel, navigating rocks and uneven terrain before eventually exiting safely near a local restaurant, much to the surprise of owner Matt Hudson.

“I was in my office when I heard kids chattering,” Hudson said. “I thought to myself, where is that coming from?”

Hudson said he was stunned when he discovered the girls climbing out of a drainage opening above a stream behind his restaurant.

“We looked, and it filled up with girls,” he said. “They were okay, but they were talking excitedly. They were happy to get out of there.”

While relieved that the incident ended safely, Mayor Rand stressed that the situation could easily have turned dangerous.

“Everyone was safe, and I’m so grateful for that. I’m grateful to the emergency responders,” Rand said. “But it was dangerous, they shouldn’t have done it. Because it could have rained this afternoon, and if it had rained, this thing becomes much more powerful, and the water could really build up.”

Following the incident, Rand said village officials would review safety measures around the drainage site and again urged residents and visitors to stay out of stormwater tunnels and drainage systems, which are not intended for public access.

For Hudson, the episode was unlike anything he had experienced in decades of business ownership.

“We’ve been here almost 36 years,” he said. “We thought we’d seen everything, but no, no, there are still some surprises here.”

SpaceX made history Friday with a spectacular stock market debut that pushed Elon Musk’s fortune past the trillion-dollar mark, making him the world’s first trillionaire and delivering the largest initial public offering ever completed. The blockbuster listing is also fueling expectations that other artificial intelligence giants could soon follow with record-breaking public offerings of their own.

The company’s shares began trading at $150, well above the $135 offering price, and ended the day at $161.11. By the closing bell, SpaceX was valued at more than $2 trillion, placing it ahead of many of America’s largest corporations and exceeding the combined market value of companies such as Walmart and General Motors.

The offering surpassed every previous IPO on record, overtaking the 2019 debut of Saudi Aramco, which entered public markets with a valuation of $1.7 trillion and raised more than $29 billion. SpaceX’s sale generated an unprecedented $75 billion, outpacing the combined proceeds of all U.S. IPOs conducted during the previous two years, according to Renaissance Capital.

The strong first-day performance also elevated Musk’s net worth to unprecedented levels. Already the richest person in the world, the 54-year-old entrepreneur saw his fortune soar beyond the trillion-dollar threshold, further expanding his financial power and global influence.

The IPO also produced enormous gains for investors close to Musk, including venture capital firms, private investment funds, and longtime associates. Thousands of employees who held equity in the company suddenly found themselves with millionaire status.

Musk spent the day at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, where he celebrated the milestone alongside employees, investors, family members, and friends. Reflecting on the company’s early days, he remarked, “It is certainly hard to believe that a little company that started in a warehouse in El Segundo is now going public.” He added, “I gave SpaceX less than a 10 percent chance of succeeding at all.”

The successful launch onto public markets is expected to open the door for other massive offerings, particularly from artificial intelligence leaders OpenAI and Anthropic, both of which are reportedly approaching trillion-dollar valuations. If those companies follow through with public listings, 2026 could become one of the most remarkable years in Wall Street history.

Such developments would further cement the dominance of technology firms in the global economy, placing SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic alongside established giants including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, Apple, Netflix, and Meta.

For SpaceX, the IPO marked the culmination of more than two decades of growth. Musk established the company in 2002 with the ambitious goal of enabling humanity to become a multiplanetary civilization, a vision many initially viewed as unrealistic.

Over the years, however, SpaceX transformed the aerospace industry through the development of reusable rocket technology and expanded its reach with Starlink, its satellite-based internet network. Earlier this year, the company also acquired Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI, which controls the social media platform X, creating an even broader technology conglomerate.

Throughout much of its history, SpaceX also served as a financial cornerstone for Musk’s wider business empire. The company provided him with loans and financial flexibility that helped support other ventures. That influence was reinforced by Musk’s overwhelming control of shareholder voting power through supervoting shares and other corporate mechanisms, which gave him approximately 85 percent of the voting rights before the IPO.

As part of the offering, SpaceX sold more than 555 million shares, representing slightly more than 4 percent of the company’s outstanding stock. The company and its underwriting team actively sought participation from both institutional investors and individuals, with retail investors accounting for roughly 22.5 percent of the offering, according to people familiar with the transaction.

SpaceX also pushed for accelerated inclusion in major stock indexes, a move that could eventually require large index funds to purchase significant amounts of its shares.

Analysts expect the stock to remain volatile in the near term. With relatively few shares available for trading and intense investor demand, the stock could experience sharp swings as the market adjusts. Over time, however, additional shares may enter circulation and enthusiasm could moderate.

J.P. Morgan analysts noted this week that recent IPOs have gained an average of 32 percent on their first trading day, but on average have fallen 26 percent below their debut prices after one year.

Daniel Hanson, a portfolio manager at Neuberger Berman whose fund owns approximately $200 million in SpaceX stock, credited the company’s leadership team for the speed and effectiveness of the IPO process.

“It’s exciting to see the team recognized by the public for what they have accomplished since their founding 24 years ago,” he said.

Despite investor enthusiasm, questions remain about the company’s finances and valuation. SpaceX disclosed in its IPO filing that it lost more than $4.9 billion last year, compared with a profit of $791 million in 2024, largely due to increased spending on artificial intelligence initiatives. Revenue, however, climbed 33 percent to $18.7 billion.

The company’s valuation now exceeds that of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, even though Meta generated substantially larger revenue and profits. Meta reported $201 billion in revenue and $60.5 billion in profit last year while carrying a market value of just over $1.4 trillion.

SpaceX has said proceeds from the offering will be used to reduce debt and finance a series of ambitious projects, including orbital AI data centers, a manufacturing facility on the moon, and eventually human missions to Mars.

Although critics question whether those goals can be achieved, enthusiasm among Musk supporters remains strong. In New York, dozens of fans gathered outside the Nasdaq building in Times Square to witness the company’s public debut.

Among them was Zach Boucher, 45, who traveled overnight from California to attend the occasion.

Mr. Boucher said he was buying more than 2,200 SpaceX shares through Wells Fargo and was “never going to sell — I’m holding for the long term.”

Comparing the moment to some of the most significant investment opportunities in modern history, he added:

“This moment is “like getting in on the ground floor of GE or G.M., or being here when Microsoft opened,” he said.

The IPO generated a windfall not only for investors but also for Wall Street’s largest banks. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, and 18 additional financial institutions served as underwriters and were expected to collect a record $550 million in fees.

The celebrations extended beyond SpaceX itself. Goldman Sachs transformed portions of its Manhattan headquarters into a space-themed venue complete with moon-rock-inspired desserts and a “mission control” brunch. JPMorgan and SpaceX commissioned artist Leo Villareal to create a large-scale celestial light display atop the bank’s headquarters.

Meanwhile, festivities at Starbase were expected to continue well into the evening, with company executives scheduled to address employees during a celebration and at least one nearby venue reserved for additional events honoring the company’s historic achievement.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Friday that he remains optimistic a formal agreement with Iran could be completed within the next several days, suggesting a deal may be finalized over the weekend or by Monday.

Speaking with Axios reporter Barak Ravid, Trump indicated that negotiations continue to move forward and said he expects Iranian officials to publicly correct reports circulated by state-controlled media regarding the contents of the proposed agreement, which he previously said were inaccurate.

Trump’s remarks followed comments from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who suggested that a breakthrough between Washington and Tehran is closer than ever and signaled confidence that an agreement could soon be finalized.

“The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer. Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content,” Araghchi wrote in a post on social media.

He added that the Iranian government intends to release information about the agreement once all remaining details are completed.

“In line with our responsible and transparent approach, all details will be shared with the public in due course,” he added.

After reviewing Araghchi’s statement, Trump told Ravid that he viewed the message favorably and described it as “very positive”.

Additional signs of progress came from Pakistan, which has been serving as a mediator between the United States and Iran during the negotiations.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced Friday that the two sides have reached agreement on the final language of a peace framework and are now focused on implementation.

“We can confirm that a final, agreed-upon text of the peace deal has been reached, and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps. Peace has never been this close as it is now.”

Sharif also accused opponents of the negotiations of attempting to undermine the diplomatic effort through false reports and misinformation.

“Amid ongoing intense mediation efforts by Pakistan, we are fully aware of an incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal,” he added.

A newly published editorial on the website of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is shedding light on how Tehran is seeking to portray the aftermath of its recent conflict with Israel and the United States. The article argues that Iran emerged from the war with enhanced strategic leverage and outlines what appears to be a new security doctrine centered on the Strait of Hormuz and deeper coordination with Hezbollah.

The commentary, published in the regime-affiliated online outlet Voice of Iran under the headline “A New Security Equation: From Hormuz to Beirut,” presents the war as a turning point that strengthened Iran’s position despite the damage it sustained during the fighting.

Throughout the piece, President Donald Trump is depicted as a leader whose rhetoric exceeds his actions. The editorial claims Trump “speaks more about his dreams than about realities” and portrays him as publicly threatening Iran while privately pulling back from confrontation.

According to the article, Washington has entered a “strategic deadlock” in which it is unwilling to make concessions to Tehran but lacks the ability to wage a broader conflict. The editorial contends that the United States has already expended its strongest leverage while Iran has gained new tools to advance its interests.

Central to the article’s message is the assertion that Iran intends to continue leveraging the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic pressure point while strengthening ties with Hezbollah and other regional proxy organizations.

According to the editorial, “Iran will not return to the prewar era — not regarding Hormuz, not regarding the U.S. military presence in the region, and not regarding the equation surrounding resistance groups.”

The article argues that the recent conflict expanded Iran’s opportunities to pursue its regional ambitions and specifically points to “control over the Strait of Hormuz” as a strategic advantage enhanced by the war.

The publication also suggests that relations between Iran and Hezbollah have entered a new phase marked by even closer integration.

The article states that the Lebanese group is now part of Iran’s “security equation” and declares that “defending Iran is equivalent to defending the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, and defending the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon is equivalent to defending Iran.”

It further describes Hezbollah as “an integral part of Iran’s national interests,” indicating that Tehran views the organization as a core component of its deterrence posture and regional security framework.

While the editorial reflects the Iranian regime’s own interpretation of events rather than an independent analysis, it offers a rare public look at how Tehran is framing the postwar landscape: one in which the Strait of Hormuz remains a powerful source of leverage, Hezbollah becomes more deeply woven into Iranian security planning, and the United States is portrayed as having lost strategic momentum.

The editorial opens by arguing that periods of war create confusion through competing narratives and conflicting reports, making it especially important, in the authors’ view, to present events from what they describe as Iran’s perspective rather than that of its adversaries. The piece says that media coverage should help readers understand the significance of events and distinguish between truth and misinformation.

It explains that Voice of Iran, an online publication associated with Khamenei’s website, was established during what it calls the Zionist regime’s 12-day war against Iran. The publication says its mission is to identify the most important developments amid a flood of information and present what it views as the true strategic position of the Islamic Republic. The editorial also dedicates its latest issue to Brigadier General Morteza Jamali of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who it says was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli missile strike.

Turning to President Trump, the article argues that his conduct during the conflict demonstrates a disconnect between public statements and policy decisions. It claims Trump “speaks more about his dreams than about realities” and alleges that while he publicly threatens Iran, he ultimately retreats when faced with what the authors characterize as credible Iranian deterrence. The piece summarizes its assessment of Trump’s approach as “Tough talk in words; retreat in action.”

The editorial goes on to argue that recent developments suggest the United States lacks the ability to sustain a large-scale military conflict with Iran. According to the article, the 40-day war exposed the limits of American power, leading the White House to conclude that it could neither force concessions from Tehran nor achieve its objectives through military means. The authors characterize this situation as a “strategic deadlock” and argue that, despite suffering damage during the conflict, Iran emerged with greater leverage because of strategic assets such as its position near the Strait of Hormuz.

The piece further contends that the United States has exhausted its most valuable pressure tools while Iran has gained new advantages. It claims American leaders expected a rapid victory but instead strengthened Iran’s position. The article argues that Tehran now has a clearer understanding of its path forward than Washington does and credits that outcome to what it describes as resistance on the battlefield.

According to the editorial, the war fundamentally altered the regional landscape. It insists that “Iran will not return to the prewar era — not regarding Hormuz, not regarding the U.S. military presence in the region, and not regarding the equation surrounding resistance groups.” The article argues that the conflict created new opportunities for Iran to shape regional security, economic, and geopolitical developments.

The authors further maintain that Iran’s relationships with Hezbollah and other allied groups will no longer resemble those that existed before the war. Instead, they argue, these ties will be strengthened and redefined by the realities that emerged during the conflict. Hezbollah, the editorial says, has become part of Iran’s broader security framework because its participation contributed both to Iran’s defense and to what the article describes as resistance to American and Israeli influence.

The editorial concludes by asserting that “defending Iran is equivalent to defending the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, and defending the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon is equivalent to defending Iran.” It portrays Hezbollah as “an integral part of Iran’s national interests” and argues that tools such as the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s ability to influence relations with Washington can be employed not only to advance Iranian interests but also to protect Hezbollah. The article closes by insisting that neither Iran nor its relationships with regional resistance movements will return to their prewar state, claiming that the conflict significantly expanded Tehran’s ability to shape regional security arrangements and deepen its ties with allied groups.

{Matzav.com}

MK Meir Porush issued a sharply worded statement Thursday evening following the vehicle incidents that occurred during chareidi protests on Highway 4 and elsewhere in central Israel, placing blame on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg for what he described as a dangerous escalation.

Porush accused the legal establishment of creating the conditions that have fueled growing tensions surrounding the arrests of yeshiva bochurim and the broader confrontation over the status of Torah learners.

“Attorney Baharav-Miara and Justice Sohlberg, thank you for bringing this calamity upon the people of Israel,” Porush said in a statement.

The veteran UTJ lawmaker argued that chareidi representatives had repeatedly warned that continued arrests of yeshiva students and other measures directed at the Torah world would deepen divisions and intensify confrontations within Israeli society.

“We warned you again and again that your conduct would lead the people of Israel to a civil war, and you did not listen,” he said.

Porush concluded by calling for an immediate change in policy and urging decision-makers to reverse course before the situation deteriorates further.

“Come to your senses before it is too late,” he said.

The remarks came after a tense evening of demonstrations and traffic disruptions across central Israel, during which two people were injured in separate vehicle-related incidents. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the events, and officials have not determined whether either incident was intentional.

A looming shortage of aircraft parking space at Ben Gurion Airport could force airlines to scale back flights during the busy summer and Yom Tov travel season, potentially impacting as many as 2.4 million passenger bookings, according to Israel Airports Authority CEO Sharon Kedmi.

In remarks to Ynet, Kedmi warned that the continued presence of dozens of American cargo planes at both Ben Gurion Airport and Ramon Airport has created a severe capacity problem that could disrupt commercial aviation if a solution is not found in the coming days.

He said airlines are expected to be informed by June 16 that they should begin preparing contingency plans, including the possibility of canceling some scheduled flights during the peak travel window that includes the High Holiday period from September 11 through October 4.

According to Kedmi, the strain on airport infrastructure has been building steadily since February. He noted that roughly 70 aircraft are currently using Ben Gurion Airport for routine operations such as arrivals, departures, and refueling, while another 25 cargo planes remain stationed at Ramon Airport.

“As long as the US fleet does not leave Ben Gurion Airport and is not relocated elsewhere, we have no choice but to prepare for a situation in which airlines will have to cancel part of their scheduled flights,” Kedmi said.

He explained that at least 30 American cargo aircraft would need to be moved from Ben Gurion Airport in order to free sufficient space for the commercial flights already planned for the summer and Yom Tov season.

The shortage, he said, is no longer merely a future concern. Airport operations are already feeling the effects, with delays affecting arrivals and departures. In some cases, passengers have been forced to remain onboard aircraft for extended periods because no parking positions or boarding gates were immediately available.

Ben Gurion Airport is currently serving approximately 65,000 travelers each day. During the busiest weeks of the summer, that number is projected to climb to roughly 100,000 daily passengers.

Kedmi also revealed that talks held several weeks ago had fueled hopes that a potential understanding between the United States and Iran would result in the relocation of American military aircraft currently based in Israel. Those expectations faded when no agreement materialized, leaving the aircraft in place and the parking crunch unresolved.

He stressed that any eventual decision to cancel flights would rest with the airlines themselves, which would weigh both operational realities and commercial considerations. If reductions become necessary, the impact could be felt across the aviation sector, affecting both Israeli carriers and foreign airlines currently flying to Israel or planning to restore service.

{Matzav.com}

A remarkable discovery in Moscow has brought to light a long-lost manuscript of one of the greatest medieval Torah commentators, ending decades of uncertainty surrounding a work that scholars believed had vanished forever.

The find was made in the Russian capital’s State Library, where countless historical treasures confiscated during turbulent periods of European history have remained hidden for generations. The revelation comes at a time when Jewish life in Russia is experiencing a significant resurgence, with Torah institutions, yeshivos, and shuls flourishing across the country.

The historic manuscript was uncovered by researcher Yisrael Dovitsky during his work on the famed Ginzburg Collection, which is housed in the State Library. The document contains a Torah commentary authored by Rabbeinu Shmuel ben Meir, the Rashbam, one of the most distinguished figures among the Rishonim. A grandson of Rashi, the Rashbam was renowned for his emphasis on the straightforward meaning of the biblical text and his unique reliance on Hebrew grammar and syntax in explaining the Torah. In some instances, his interpretations differed from those of his illustrious grandfather.

The manuscript discovered in Moscow is known among scholars as “Manuscript No. 103” from the Jewish Theological Seminary of Breslau. It served as the primary source for the first printed edition of the Rashbam’s Torah commentary, which was published in 1881.

After that publication, however, the manuscript seemingly disappeared without a trace and was long considered irretrievably lost. Researchers now believe that following World War II, the document made its way into the Soviet Union, where it became absorbed into archival collections.

According to scholars, the manuscript remained hidden in plain sight for decades because it was mistakenly cataloged as a commentary by Rashi. The error was apparently caused by the absence of a title page, combined with the fact that the surviving text begins in the middle of Sefer Bereishis.

News of the discovery generated excitement among rabbanim and Chabad shluchim throughout Russia, who work under the leadership of Russia’s Chief Rabbi, Harav Berel Lazar shlita. Researchers and Torah scholars alike have described the find as one of great historical significance for the study of medieval biblical interpretation.

Reacting to the discovery, Rav Lazar reflected on its deeper significance.

“In a generation as spiritually impoverished as ours, we suddenly see such light revealed—light that deepens our understanding of Torah and gives us strength to live with the Torah, a Torah of life and a Torah of light that illuminates our lives. The Jewish people are not forsaken. From Above, we are being granted a special light to encourage us and give us the strength to continue spreading Torah everywhere and to every Jew.”

Rabbi Boruch Gorin, chairman of the Jewish Museum in Moscow and head of the L’Chaim publishing house, also expressed enthusiasm over the discovery, calling it a matter of importance for the entire Jewish world.

“We are following these developments with anticipation and great curiosity as we examine the findings more closely. Every word of our great Rishonim that comes to light is a reason for excitement, and we eagerly await the researcher’s full report to understand the magnitude of the treasure that has been revealed.”

As word of the discovery spreads throughout the Torah world, Jewish communities across Russia are celebrating what many see as far more than a scholarly breakthrough. For them, the reemergence of a manuscript thought lost for generations stands as a powerful symbol of the enduring vitality of Torah and the promise that its light can never be extinguished.

The remarkable find serves as a reminder that even after decades hidden away in forgotten archives, the words of the Rishonim continue to illuminate the Jewish people and inspire future generations.

Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed serious concerns Friday about reports describing a potential agreement with Iran, arguing that the terms being circulated would amount to a deeply flawed arrangement if they prove accurate.

The South Carolina Republican said he was encouraged by President Donald Trump’s rejection of Iranian media reports regarding the proposed framework and praised the administration’s efforts to weaken the Iranian regime through military and economic pressure.

“I am very glad to hear from President Donald Trump that Iranian media reports about the so-called deal are fake because the deal as described by Iran would be awful. President Trump and our military deserve a lot of credit for making Iran the weakest they’ve been since 1979 through a combination of highly effective military strikes and a crushing blockade. However, we must remember the Iranian regime has killed 42,000 of their own people for simply wanting a better life, and their leadership are radical religious Nazis.”

Graham said any future agreement should be measured against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Obama-era nuclear accord that many Republicans viewed as fundamentally flawed. He specifically criticized reports suggesting Iran could receive a massive reconstruction package while the current regime remains in power.

“As to any potential deal, it must be compared to the JCPOA, and I am hopeful that it will be vastly different. The idea of a $300 billion reconstruction fund, given who is in charge of Iran, seems to be tone deaf. It would be akin to a Marshall Plan for Germany with the Nazis still in charge. That wouldn’t have been a good idea then, and any reconstruction fund that benefits this terrorist regime wouldn’t be a good idea now.”

The senator also emphasized what he views as the most important benchmark for any nuclear agreement, saying the administration must maintain its longstanding opposition to Iranian uranium enrichment.

“As to the Iranian nuclear program, President Trump’s red line has been no enrichment. I hope that holds – as it must.”

Graham further argued that allowing Tehran to continue enriching uranium was among the most significant shortcomings of the JCPOA and insisted that lawmakers should have the opportunity to examine and approve any future accord.

“Allowing Iran to enrich under the JCPOA was one of the major flaws of that terrible deal. As I’ve stated before, any deal with Iran must come to Congress for scrutiny and approval.”

{Matzav.com}