Lindsey Graham pushes Trump toward ‘poison pill’ critics say will sink Iran deal

Following a recent conversation with President Donald Trump, Sen. Lindsey Graham pressed the president Sunday to ditch a key demand of Tehran amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran peace negotiations, a proposal that has been described as a "poison pill” and a non-starter for Iranian officials.

“In a recent conversation with President Trump, I affirmed my support for a deal with Iran that accepts President Trump’s demand to open up the Strait of Hormuz and start negotiations about forever ending their nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism,” Graham wrote in a social media post on X.

“On a separate front, it is my belief that we must allow Israel to neutralize the threats the country faces from constant Hezbollah attacks emanating from Lebanon. It would be unconscionable to ask Israel to accept a ceasefire with Hezbollah given Hezbollah’s stated desire to destroy Israel and their constant attacks.”

Iran has demanded that Israel halt its bombardment of Lebanon as a key condition in its negotiations with the Trump administration, an ask that Israel has largely ignored, despite Trump himself demanding as much last month. More than 3,100 Lebanese have been killed by Israeli air strikes since early March and nearly 10,000 wounded, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Hezbollah has launched strikes into Israel in response to its military siege on Gaza, which countless human rights groups have labeled a genocide, strikes designed to divert Israel’s military away from Gaza and toward the Israel-Lebanon border to the north.

And yet, despite Israel's halt of its invasion and bombardment of Lebanon being a non-negotiable demand of Iran's – and an explicit demand by Trump – Israel has expanded its military siege of its northern neighbor, most recently being accused of using white phosphorus bombs, an incendiary and waxy chemical that ignites when exposed to oxygen and burns at extreme temperatures, a potential war crime.

“Any ceasefire with Hezbollah would allow them to re-arm and become stronger,” Graham continued.

“In my view, there must not be any linkage between an Iran deal and Israel’s ability to fight back against Hezbollah’s unceasing aggression in Lebanon. Any deal with Iran that restricts Israel’s ability to fight back against Hamas and Hezbollah would be unwise.”