6/15/26: Trump Says Iran Deal Is Done, Jeremy Scahill On US Capitulation, Israelis Meltdown Over Deal

The U.S. and Iran appear to have reached a fragile, 60-day 'memorandum of understanding' that could end a devastating 100-day war, but the deal is teetering on collapse due to Israeli defiance. Trump declared the deal 'complete' and authorized the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz, but Israel’s Defense Minister Katz has confirmed they will not withdraw from southern Lebanon—directly violating a core Iranian demand. Iranian officials claim they extracted last-minute concessions, including the full lifting of the naval blockade and a swift reopening of the strait, in exchange for withholding retaliatory strikes after an Israeli bombing of Beirut. However, the U.S. has not released its version of the agreement, and the entire framework relies on Trump’s ability to force Israel to comply—a task many doubt he can accomplish. The deal’s true cost may be far higher than advertised: Iran is demanding $24 billion in frozen assets, with reports of Gulf states like the UAE and Saudi Arabia facilitating covert transfers to avoid public acknowledgment. Meanwhile, the U.S. is framing this as a strategic retreat, not a surrender, while Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum are in open meltdown, calling it a national humiliation. The real test will be whether Iran holds firm on Lebanon or allows the U.S. to re-engage in a new phase of war. The episode reveals a deeper reality: this deal was not negotiated by the U.S.