June 18, 2026, New York, NY – As the United States and Iran enter a 60-day negotiating period beginning today, we must not lose sight of the larger context: this is a pause in the 47-year-old conflict the Iranian regime has waged against the United States and its allies.
Pressure worked. Tehran did not arrive at the negotiating table because it embraced moderation. It arrived because its military infrastructure was degraded, its nuclear program was set back, its economy was under strain, and its options were narrowing.
The American Jewish Congress welcomes the reduction in tensions, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the extraordinary degradation of Iran’s military-industrial infrastructure, missile capabilities, and nuclear program. At the same time, we recognize legitimate concerns in Israel and across the Gulf regarding concessions granted before full compliance is demonstrated. Thousands of Israelis displaced from their homes by Hezbollah attacks since October 8 continue to await lasting security, while America’s regional partners continue to live under the shadow of Iran’s missile capabilities and proxy networks.
We recognize President Trump’s decision to use military force when necessary to confront a regime that repeatedly rejected diplomacy and continued destabilizing the region. These developments have made the Middle East, global energy markets, and America’s regional partners safer for now.
While renewed oil sales and economic relief may ease some immediate pressures, the Iranian people, who have borne the cost of decades of regime mismanagement, repression, and adventurism, have little reason yet to celebrate. History suggests that much of the revenue will be directed toward regime preservation, rearmament, internal repression, and rebuilding regional influence.
Tehran secured significant concessions upfront for a regime that emerged weakened from war. Israel and America’s regional partners are being asked to accept these concessions on the assumption that Tehran will ultimately dismantle its nuclear program, comply with intrusive verification measures, and abandon the destabilizing behavior that brought the region to this point.
These concessions may reflect a negotiating strategy designed to secure full Iranian compliance. Whether these concessions prove justified depends entirely on what happens next. If they lead to the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program, full transparency regarding uranium stockpiles, and meaningful compliance with international obligations, they may ultimately serve a larger strategic purpose. If not, these concessions risk becoming another chapter in a familiar cycle of delay, relief, and renewed confrontation.
The next sixty days will determine which path emerges. The burden of proof rests entirely with Tehran. Regime leaders must now show through actions that they are prepared to abandon the nuclear path that brought the region repeatedly to the brink of war, end support for terrorist proxies, and demonstrate that their missile capabilities will no longer be used to threaten civilians in Israel, the Gulf, or American interests in the region.
Pressure brought Iran to the table. Pressure must stay at the table. The objective is a Middle East less vulnerable to 47 years of Iranian proxy warfare, more secure for Israel and America’s Arab partners, and permanently free from the threat of a nuclear-armed regime distrusted by its neighbors and feared by its own people.
