US and Iran Reach Agreement, Trump Lashes Out at Israel: A Conversation with Trita Parsi

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The US and Iran have reached a memorandum of understanding on a ceasefire that will extend by 60 days. The agreement is set to be formally signed in Geneva on Friday, but the text has not yet been released. According to Iran, the deal calls for a permanent and immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, Israel, which is not a party to the agreement, plans to keep troops in parts of southern Lebanon.

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, says, "The Israelis are trying to destroy this deal, and they will continue to try. It will require persistent, consistent pressure by Trump on the Israelis in order to hold them back."

The deal was the subject of much tension at the G7 summit in France, where President Trump met with world leaders. Trump spoke about Israel, saying, "We've had a very effective relationship. Without us, without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did."

We also discuss the recent controversy surrounding Trita Parsi, who was at the center of a hit piece published by The Free Press claiming the State Department was considering revoking his green card and possibly deporting him. The State Department denied the allegations, saying they had no plans to revoke Parsi's green card 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.

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, joins us to discuss these developments and more.