As the United States and Iran seek to finalize an agreement to end the Middle East war amid announcements of progress in talks, several current and former US officials have warned about the repercussions of any agreement that might be perceived as strengthening Tehran’s influence in the region and its implications for Gulf security and the balance of power in the Middle East.

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who served under President Trump’s first term, on X said, “The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD (weapons of mass destruction) program and terrorize the world. Not remotely America First.”

He added, “It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region. Overdue. Let’s go.”

Similarly, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said, “If it is perceived in the region that a deal with Iran allows the regime to survive and become more powerful over time, we will have poured gasoline on the conflicts in Lebanon and Iraq. A deal that is perceived to allow Iran to survive and possess the ability to control the Strait in the future will put Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Shia militias in Iraq on steroids.”

In another post on X, he said, “If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate force requiring a diplomatic solution.”

He added, “This combination of Iran being perceived as having the ability to terrorize the Strait in perpetuity and the ability the inflict massive damage to Gulf oil infrastructure is a major shift of the balance of power in the region and over time will be a nightmare for Israel.”

He also noted, “Also, it makes one wonder why the war started to begin with if these perceptions are accurate. I personally am a skeptic of the idea that Iran cannot be denied the ability to terrorize the Strait and the region cannot protect itself against Iranian military capability. It is important we get this right.”

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said an announcement was possible later Sunday on a deal with Iran that could formally end the Middle East war.

“I do think perhaps there is the possibility that in the next few hours the world will get some good news,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi.

Rubio, who is on his first visit to India, said the emerging deal would address US President Donald Trump’s concerns on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked in response to the US-Israeli attack. (EIR)