Jun 16, 2026 | The US and Iran reached a memorandum of understanding on Sunday extending the ceasefire by 60 days. It is set to be formally signed in Geneva on Friday. The text of the agreement has not yet been released, but Iran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while the US will lift its naval blockade. According to Iran, the deal calls for a permanent and immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. But Israel, which is not a party to the agreement, says it plans to keep troops in parts of southern Lebanon. "The Israelis are trying to destroy this deal, and they will continue to try," says Trita Parsi, executive vice-president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. "It will require persistent, consistent pressure by Trump on the Israelis in order to hold them back."
We also discuss how The Free Press, founded by Bari Weiss, published an article last week claiming the State Department had opened a probe into Parsi that could lead to his deportation. The State Department issued a statement just hours later claiming that it had "no plans to revoke the green card of Mr. Parsi at this time."
"I do believe that there were elements inside the State Department that wanted to move in this direction," says Parsi. "They thought that this hit piece would help move things forward, but I think, frankly, it backfired."
Iran is accusing the United States of “psychological warfare” after National Security Advisor John Bolton announced the U.S. is deploying a carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the region.
In a statement on Sunday night, Bolton said the move was intended to “send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian régime that any attacks on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force.”
On Monday acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the deployment was made because of a “credible threat by Iranian régime forces” but he offered no details. Axios is reporting the threat is based on information passed on from Israel.
The Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure against Iran following Washington’s withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear deal last year. Last month, the US designated Iran’s élite Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. The Trump administration also said it will end a waiver program that allowed some nations to circumvent US sanctions and continue buying Iranian oil without suffering penalties.
We speak with Trita Parsi in Washington DC, author of “Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran, and the Triumph of Diplomacy.” He is the founder and former president of the National Iranian American Council, and an adjunct associate professor in the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University.
Trita Parsi to examines the complexities of Trump's attempt to end the Iran nuclear deal with US and EU. Could we be heading towards war? What's happening in Iran and could the fallout be of increased tensions in the Gulf of Hormuz?
As tough talk between the US and Iran heats up and diplomatic relations deteriorate, the majority of Americans remain opposed to the American withdrawal from the JCPOA. To analyze the impact of crumbling relations between the two countries, RT America’s Ed Schultz is joined by author of ‘Triumph of Diplomacy’ and President of the National Iranian-American Council, Trita Parsi.
The Trump administration will reportedly oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and install CIA Director Mike Pompeo in his place, with Republican Sen. Tom Cotton replacing Pompeo. Trita Parsi of the National Iranian American Council says that's a recipe for a US war on Iran
