US Vice President JD Vance backs US‑Iran missile agreement, says Israel can't kill its way out

U.S. Vice President JD Vance told The New York Times that Israel cannot rely on military force alone to solve its security challenges and defended President Trump’s decision to let Iran retain a limited ballistic‑missile capability under a newly signed U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding. Vance described Israeli criticism, voiced by figures such as Itamar Ben‑Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, as a “freakout” rooted in mistrust and said the United States will move forward with the deal despite Israeli concerns. He said the agreement is intended to prevent Iran from funding regional instability or rebuilding a nuclear weapons program while allowing Iran a modest self‑defence capability. Vance also noted that U.S. policy will prioritize American national interests even when they diverge from those of allies.