US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday sharply rejected criticism of the US-Iran framework agreement from members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
"Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time," Vance told a White House press conference.
"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."
Vance said that over the past three months, two-thirds of the defensive weapons that had protected Israel from attacks by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia had been manufactured by Americans and paid for with US taxpayer money.
Critics in Israel who believed that US President Donald Trump was "their biggest problem" should recognize the reality of their country's situation, he added.
At the same time, the vice president stressed that Netanyahu himself had not, to his knowledge, publicly opposed the US agreement with Tehran.
Instead, criticism had come from individual members of the Israeli Cabinet, he said.
Vance also dismissed media reports suggesting that Netanyahu was "fuming" about the deal and believes the war should have continued, saying that characterization did not match his own conversations with the Israeli leader.
He acknowledged, however, that Netanyahu may have expressed different views in discussions with others.
The framework agreement reached between the United States and Iran also addresses the situation in Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting Hezbollah.
Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a direct party to the agreement. Iran has nevertheless insisted that Israel must withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon.
The framework accord reaffirms a commitment to safeguarding Lebanon's "territorial integrity."
Following the signing of the agreement, Netanyahu said Israeli troops would remain in southern Lebanon and continue to maintain a security zone there.
