US and Iran hold high-level talks in Switzerland, with conflicting accounts on nuclear inspections and sanctions relief

Jun 21, 2026

The United States and Iran have agreed to a 60-day roadmap toward a permanent peace deal following high-level talks in Switzerland. To facilitate negotiations, the U.S. Treasury issued a temporary waiver allowing Iran to sell oil in U.S. dollars. However, the agreement faces intense domestic backlash. Republican Senators Roger Wicker and John Cornyn have criticized the deal's financial concessions, pointing out that President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are now embracing the same sanctions-relief policies they spent years denouncing as dangerous.

Trump-Iran memorandum of understanding

▪The United States and Iran formally signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17, 2026, to end the war.
▪The United States Treasury issued a 60-day emergency license on June 22, 2026, waiving sanctions to allow Iranian oil sales.
▪The United States and Iran agreed to a roadmap in Switzerland to reach a final peace agreement within 60 days.

Republican criticism of sanctions relief

▪Republican Senator John Cornyn criticized the provisional Iran agreement by sharing an article on how rogue regimes evade economic warfare.
▪Republican Senator Roger Wicker criticized the memorandum of understanding, stating its $300 billion reconstruction fund dwarfed JCPOA incentives.

Trump Iran policy reversal

▪Donald Trump previously criticized Barack Obama's 2015 JCPOA for granting Iran sanctions relief and $150 billion in frozen assets.
▪Donald Trump's newly negotiated memorandum of understanding commits the United States to releasing frozen Iranian assets and lifting sanctions.

Comparison to Obama JCPOA

▪The Trump administration argues its new agreement is stronger than Barack Obama's Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
▪Critics and analysts argue Donald Trump's new agreement appears to grant Iran more significant upfront concessions than the JCPOA.

Rubio prior opposition

▪Marco Rubio co-sponsored legislation in December 2023 to freeze Iranian funds, arguing released humanitarian funds are fungible and fuel terrorism.
▪Marco Rubio condemned the 2015 JCPOA, arguing sanctions relief would allow Iran to build up its regional military capabilities.

Vance prior opposition

▪JD Vance co-sponsored the December 2023 Senate bill S.3049 to block the release of Iranian funds in Qatar.
▪JD Vance co-signed an August 2023 letter denouncing a Biden administration deal releasing $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.