US and Iran aren't ‘very close’ to peace deal: Israeli deputy foreign minister

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]President Trump is trying to land an Iran deal, yet at the same time the United States sank two Iranian ships that were laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. And Iran launched a surface-to-air missiles at US planes, which then led to American attacks on missile launches. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Shireen Hashem joins me live now. Shireen, great to see you. Now firstly, Shireen, what is the Israeli government's view of the US-Iran peace deal? And doesn't it signal a deal before the enriched uranium has been removed?

[00:00:36]I'll I'll say a few things. The first thing is that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are extremely closer, having conversations constantly about it. And I think that it's pretty obvious that when Trump set um the threshold or the the the the points that what's needs to happen in order for that deal to happen, they are in line with what we believe can create a more secured and a safer Middle East and a more stable one. Mhm. Do I think the Iranians are ready for a deal? I read a lot of the press release, the Twitter accounts, and the remarks that the Iranian or the leftovers from the Iranian regime are saying. And I don't think we are very close. I hear what they're saying about the enriched uranium, about their capability for continuing to enriching. And what I believe, it's not as close as many people believe. I mean, you can't do a deal, can you, if they still have the enriched uranium?

[00:01:41]Absolutely. I mean, this keeps the same danger as before. And this is the same about an enriched uranium program. This is also what we've been discussing about their proxies, okay? Or >> I'm to interrupt, but doesn't it seem like that is where the president is headed to do it a deal while they still have that uranium?

[00:02:02]Well, I don't believe so. I think that President Trump have declared numerous times in the past that there cannot be a deal while Iran is holding uranium enriched uranium or having this programs and the fact is that most of the press haven't seen the details. I haven't seen the details either. But from what I read from the Americans and what they've demanded and the reactions of the Iranian regime, I think there's such a gap there that I don't see it being narrowed.

[00:02:32]The president is also trying to turn this into something bigger. There's this new push to expand the Abraham Accords across the Middle East, something Netanyahu has always been keen on.

[00:02:41]Trump is publicly calling on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan to normalize ties.

[00:02:49]How receptive are these Arab nations, Shireen?

[00:02:53]First of all, I think that Operation Roaring Lion or Epic Fury have changed a lot in the Middle East and many of these countries know, you know, that they are not safe from a fanatical regime and they're better off with creating a better future, a more stable one, peaceful one. And they understand that they need to make a choice what side they're on. The radicals of radical Islam or those who are trying to create peace and stability. And there's a huge change. I think there's more countries who are going to join the Abraham Accord. I think it opens a lot of opportunity, but one of the most amazing ones might be Lebanon. I mean, there's direct negotiations right now between, you know, the Lebanese and us here in Israel. It's not easy, it's very difficult. I'm talking to you right now from Kiryat Shmona who still is being bombarded. The children yesterday had to hide from a a drone that Hezbollah keeps on sending.

[00:03:54]And this is a very difficult and sensitive situation for us as well, but we're really hopeful for a path of peace and stability with our neighbor, Lebanon. And it's really up to them how far they're willing to push out the Iranian regime army, Hezbollah, out of their country.