Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has raised early concerns over a newly announced US-Iran agreement, warning that Washington and Tehran may not be aligned on the deal’s core terms.
As questions mount over transparency and enforcement, Graham is calling for full congressional oversight and insists that Vice President J.D. Vance-led team should present the agreement once signed on June 19 to lawmakers for review.
Graham said he is “concerned” that the United States and Iran appear to have differing interpretations of the agreement recently reached between the two countries.
“I am pleased to hear the memorandum of understanding with Iran to allow the Strait of Hormuz to open has been agreed to. I will be watching closely the ensuing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear programme and other matters,” Graham, a long-time Iran hawk, wrote on X.
“I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming,” the South Carolina Republican added.
Graham noted that, under U.S. law, any nuclear agreement with Iran would be submitted to Congress for review and a vote. He also said that Vice President Vance, whom he described as the principal architect of the deal, and his negotiating team should play a central role in presenting the agreement to lawmakers.
“Under our law, any nuclear deal with Iran will be sent to Congress for review and a vote. I look forward to reviewing the final product, and I believe it is imperative that the architect of the deal, Vice President Vance, and his negotiating partners be part of the process in presenting the final deal to Congress,” Graham said.
While congratulating those involved in reaching this stage, the senator cautioned that the agreement’s ultimate effectiveness remains to be seen.
“Congratulations to all in getting us to this point. Time will tell,” he said.
President Donald Trump announced the deal on Sunday, signalling a potential end to the three-and-a-half-month conflict with the Islamic Republic.
“The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorise the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and, simultaneously, authorise the immediate removal of the United States naval blockade. Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow!”
Iranian forces have restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the early stages of the conflict, contributing to volatility in global energy markets and higher fuel prices in the United States.
In response to Tehran’s closure of the strategic waterway, the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in mid-April.
The agreement, expected to be formally signed in Geneva on June 19, follows mediation efforts involving Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Officials involved in the process said negotiations would continue throughout the week ahead of the signing ceremony.
Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, who has helped mediate talks between Washington and Tehran, said an official signing ceremony is scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday.
Vice President J. D. Vance told Fox News on Sunday that he plans to travel to Switzerland for the ceremony and that it is “possible” Trump will also attend.
The prospect of congressional review has drawn comparisons to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Obama-era accord reached between Iran and world powers to limit Tehran’s nuclear programme.
However, the JCPOA was structured as a political commitment and was not a treaty and therefore did not require ratification by the Senate.
