An Iranian man walks past a banner depicting Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei at Valiasr Square in Tehran.
Day 112 | Vance defends Iran deal, Khamenei says approved it despite having “different view”
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that he had approved a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war despite having a "different view", without elaborating.
"In principle, I had a different view (about the memorandum of understanding), but I issued my permission due to the commitment that the honourable (Iranian) president, as the chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, gave me on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front," Khamenei said in message read on state television
The message was his first reaction to the Iran-US deal to end the conflict that was signed by US Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Khamenei said Trump had "used all kinds of levers" to secure the deal "out of desperation".
In his message, Khamenei noted that he received assurances from Pezeshkian about the deal and that it would not be accepted "if the American side wants to make excessive demands".
"It is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy's point of view," he added.
US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday defended the deal to end the war, saying he would likely head to Switzerland for talks to turn it into a long-term agreement.
"The Iranians have to perform," Vance told a briefing at the White House as President Donald Trump faced mounting criticism over the deal.
"If they don't perform as we've said before, they don't get any of the benefits of the bargain."
Vance rejected claims that the deal rewards Iran without achieving Trump's war aims.
The most controversial points have been around oil sales, sanctions relief and a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, while there is no firm program for destroying Iran's nuclear program.
But Vance said Iran would only get the rewards if it proves that it has complied with the terms that will be hammered out in a 60-day period that he said began on Thursday following the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU).
"There's a lot of discussion -- the MoU, the gentleman's agreements, the final deal. Words don't matter, ladies and gentlemen, we're about verification," Vance told reporters.
Pentagon urgently requests $80 billion in funding after Iran war: WSJ
The Pentagon has informed US lawmakers that it requires approximately $80 billion in emergency supplemental funding to address expenses related to the US military operations in Iran and other pressing budgetary needs.
Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg conveyed this request during recent phone calls with congressional members, according to reports from individuals familiar with the discussions cited by The Wall Street Journal.
Military officials have warned that the armed services risk depleting funds for essential operations as early as this summer without congressional approval of a new wartime spending measure.
This shortfall would compel reductions in training exercises and other critical priorities, exacerbated by the financial demands of the Iran war and additional troop deployments along the US southern border.
The US military campaign against Iran, designated as Operation Epic Fury, commenced on February 28.
It involved joint efforts with ‘Israel’, including strikes that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Pentagon estimates indicate that the conflict has incurred costs of around $25 billion to $29 billion to date, predominantly for munitions, equipment repair and replacement, and operational expenses.
Earlier projections from the Pentagon to the White House suggested a supplemental request exceeding $200 billion.
However, the Trump administration scaled back the figure amid bipartisan concerns and pushback in Congress, settling on a range of $80 billion to $100 billion.
The current $80 billion ask encompasses both direct war-related expenditures and other non-war bills.
A ceasefire is currently in effect, with a formal memorandum of understanding signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in the near term.
Despite this, lawmakers from both parties continue to seek detailed breakdowns of costs, strategy, and objectives before advancing any funding legislation.
Republicans have expressed reservations about approving additional funds without greater clarity, particularly in an election year. Democrats have raised questions regarding the war's broader implications and have called for independent reviews of the Pentagon's cost assessments, citing discrepancies with external estimates.
The request arrives as the Pentagon advances a record $1.5 trillion defense budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.
Vance postpones trip to Switzerland for Iran talks
US Vice President JD Vance has postponed a trip to Switzerland for talks that were originally slated for Friday to discuss next steps on the US-Iran agreement on ending the war in the Middle East, according to the White House.
"The logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now the Vice President is not departing tonight," a White House spokesperson said late Thursday.
"We look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible."
VIDEO - Flares fired by ‘Israeli’ military over southern Lebanon
Footage of the ‘Israeli’ military firing flares over the Ali al-Taher hill in southern Lebanon
Trump says Iran MoU was “unconditional surrender” by Tehran
US President Donald Trump said Thursday he thinks the memorandum of understanding aimed to end the war with Iran was “unconditional surrender” by Tehran.
“It really probably is unconditional surrender… I think so,” Trump said when asked about if the MoU –which many believe favored Iran– was capitulation by the Islamic Republic.
“There are no limits. We defeated them totally, militarily. We have the most powerful military in the world, by far,” Trump said in a video interview with Axios.
“Who else could have done a blockade like that? I did a naval blockade where not one ship was able to get through. Some tried, they didn't, you know, they didn't last very long”.
Iran’s Ghalibaf warns of “crushing response” if US violates peace deal
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran's Parliament and chief negotiator in recent talks with the United States, threatened a “crushing response” in the event of any “bad faith” in implementing the recent memorandum of understanding.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf stated: "We are at the command [of the Supreme Leader] and will pursue the realization of the conditions and clauses of the understanding."
He added that in the event of "bad faith, treaty-breaking, or excessive demands" by the other side, Iran would have "no hesitation in delivering a crushing response to the enemy."
“They were once slapped during the war; if they wish to tread that path again, they will receive an even harder slap,” Ghalibaf added.
The comments come after the signing of an interim agreement aimed at ending months of hostilities between Iran and the US.
The deal reportedly includes a ceasefire, provisions on the Strait of Hormuz, phased sanctions relief, and steps toward a longer-term framework.
Ghalibaf has previously described the agreement as a "record of US failure," claiming Iran negotiated from a position of strength following military rebuilding during the ceasefire period.
Iranian officials, including Ghalibaf, have repeatedly stressed vigilance over US compliance, accusing Washington and ‘Israel’ of potential violations in related theaters such as Lebanon.
VIDEO - Vance tells ‘Israeli’ critics of Iran deal to “wake up”
US Vice President JD Vance rebukes members of ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet criticizing the Iran deal, saying they should "wake up and smell the reality."
He tells reporter at a White House briefing, "If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world."
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Read more: Day 111 | US, Iranian presidents sign deal to end war
