Tel Aviv [Israel], June 16 : Former Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy expressed deep concern over the recently announced US-Iran peace agreement, warning that the deal fails to address Tehran's nuclear ambitions and could strengthen the country economically and militarily.
Speaking to ANI, Levy said that there was "deep concern and disappointment" in Israel over the framework, arguing that it effectively rewards Iran without resolving the central security challenges posed by its nuclear program.
"This is an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by paying Iranians a toll," Levy said. He added, "It does not solve the nuclear issue. It postpones negotiations over Iran's nuclear program while surrendering the world's leverage to force the Iranians to stop developing nuclear weapons."
Levy further claimed that many in Israel fear the United States is seeking to disengage from the conflict due to domestic political pressures rather than securing a lasting resolution.
He said, "There is concern in Israel that the Americans are trying to wriggle out of the war because of the domestic pressure," he said, adding that Iran "will remain a very major and immediate threat to the entire region."
Asked whether Israel believed the current framework could guarantee that Iran would never acquire a nuclear weapon, Levy expressed scepticism, warning that financial relief for Tehran could ultimately bolster its military capabilities.
He said, "There is concern in Israel that even if the Iranian nuclear program is stopped temporarily, if you pump money into the Iranian regime, it will pour that money into the ballistic missiles, into the proxy armies that will allow it to break towards nuclear weapons in the future."
Levy argued that the agreement falls short of the objective previously articulated by US President Donald Trump.
"This is not the unconditional surrender that President Trump was promising. This is not a comprehensive deal to contain Iran. It's not even a plan to bring down the Iranian regime," he said.
According to Levy, the deal instead offers economic support to Tehran without securing meaningful concessions on its long-term strategic capabilities. "It's a promise to support the economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that's raising alarm bells in Israel and should be heard across the whole world," he added.
Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday said that the war has ended, and any attack on Lebanon would constitute a violation of the agreement reached between Iran and the US, ISNA News Agency has reported.
Araghchi also said that negotiations will begin on Saturday after the signing of the memorandum of understanding.
"Negotiations will begin on Saturday after the signing of the memorandum of understanding. These negotiations will continue for 60 days to reach a final agreement. This final agreement pertains to nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions. The official start of implementing the memorandum is from Saturday; the end of the war is from Monday," he said.
Araghchi further announced that Iran-US talks will be headed by Iran's Parliamentary Speaker MB Ghalibaf, and US Vice President JD Vance.
Earlier in the day, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the fighting was successful but admitted he still does not know what is written in the deal, as reported by The Times of Israel.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Iran would never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons "with or without a deal," reaffirming his long-standing position on Tehran's nuclear programme amid the newly announced US-Iran peace agreement aimed at easing tensions in West Asia.
Addressing concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions, Netanyahu said preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons has been a central objective throughout his political career.
"For decades, I have been fighting Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. I can define this as my life's mission. I have upheld it until now, and I will uphold it in the future as well," Netanyahu said in a press conference.
"With or without a deal, Iran will not have nuclear weapons. Not today, and not tomorrow. As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel, this will not happen," he added.