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Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), returning from a trip to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, characterized leaders in the region as being open to the Trump administration’s efforts to reach a new nuclear deal with Iran, but also suggested that they are skeptical that Iran will actually agree to a deal that dismantles its nuclear program.

“I think folks are realistic about the prospects of Iran coming to an agreement, but still want to give the process a chance and try to avoid a conflict if possible,” Lawler told Jewish Insider on Thursday. “But ultimately, you know, I think everybody is very clear about the fact that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Lawler, joined by Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Sheila Cherfilus McCormick (D-FL), met with regional leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and Jordanian King Abdullah II.

On nuclear talks with Iran, the New York Republican said that leaders in the region are “cautiously optimistic that we can make progress in a negotiation, but I think realistic about the fact that we’ve been here before with Iran, and they continue to operate in the manner that they do.”

Lawler has been a leader in the House on Iran sanctions, sponsoring two bills that passed last year to crack down on the oil trade between Iran and China and a third that is moving ahead in the House this year. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in congressional testimony last week that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are not engaging with Iran’s support for terrorism or its ballistic missile program, but said that sanctions targeting those areas would remain in place if they are not addressed under a deal.

Many Republicans have argued in the past that Tehran would use any sanctions relief, regardless of target, to fund malign activities.

“Let’s see what actually comes out of these negotiations,” Lawler said, of Rubio’s comments. “But, my general view is that the nuclear program, obviously, is a major threat, but so too is their continued funding of terrorism, and all of these issues are going to have to be addressed, one way or the other.”

He said that “as part of any sanctions relief down the road, they would have to cease all terror activity and funding of it. But I think we’re a long ways away from that, and so that’s why I continue to push on the sanctions.”

Lawler described the Trump administration as being more aggressive than the Biden administration in implementing sanctions, including the two bills he spearheaded in the previous Congress, against Iran.

“This has been, from the standpoint of applying pressure, critical, but long term all of these issues are going to have to be addressed,” Lawler said. “One of the immediate issues is the nuclear program and trying to eliminate that through a diplomatic negotiation.”

Amid public reports that the U.S., Hamas and Israel are nearing an agreement on a new ceasefire proposal, Lawler said, “We’ll see if progress can be made there. Hamas continues to put in place demands that are never, ever going to be accepted by the United States or Israel.”

While Israel has said it would agree to the current U.S. proposal, Israeli officials have also implemented plans to expand operations in Gaza even as U.S. officials have reportedly been privately pressuring Israeli officials to end the war.

“Israel is continuing to proceed forward with respect to trying to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas. Obviously, the longer this drags on, the more difficult it is within the region,” Lawler said. “But I think everybody would like to see this come to an end, in which the hostages are released, the Palestinian people are able to live in a more stable area and get the humanitarian assistance that they need.”

Lawler also expressed support for the new American and Israeli effort to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians, which began earlier this week. He criticized the Biden administration for, in 2024, pressuring Israel against expanding operations against Hamas and Hezbollah, arguing that if Israel had heeded that pressure, Hamas and Hezbollah’s leadership would still be alive and the Assad regime would still be in power in Syria.

Lawler denied that the Trump administration had placed any similar pressure on Israel, despite public comments from President Donald Trump that Israel should not attack Iran’s nuclear program while talks are ongoing and reports of private pressure on a number of fronts.

“I think the administration has been very supportive, but they’re in the process of trying to negotiate,” Lawler said, of Trump’s recent comments opposing a strike on Iran. “And obviously, when you’re in the middle of a negotiation, any military action can undermine that negotiation … the talks are in a critical stage, and you have to allow those talks to unfold.”

He suggested that he believes that the administration would support a strike if the negotiations fail, and that Israel should not have to act on its own in such a scenario.

“There should be coordination and cooperation if and when any action is taken,” Lawler said.

The congressman said that, despite the ongoing challenges, there are new opportunities in the Middle East and it is in some ways “in a stronger position for change than it was 19 months ago.”

“There’s a lot of work ahead, but I think the dialogue in all three countries was extremely positive and focused on the future and how we kind of bridge these divides and long-term normalization and economic cooperation between all countries in the region,” Lawler said.

Saudi Arabia, he said, was “extremely happy” with Trump’s recent visit. The U.S.-Saudi relationship, he continued, is on a “very positive” trajectory, and Saudi Arabia is poised to be a key player in helping to bring stability and prosperity to the Middle East.

Despite recent reports and public statements indicating that Saudi interest in normalizing relations with Israel has waned in the short term, Lawler said that “they understand how important it is both from the long-term stability and economic prosperity of the Middle East, but also on the global stage.”

“The sooner this conflict [in Gaza] comes to an end, I think the easier it will be to begin that process,” Lawler continued.

Lawler also described Jordan as “vital to the U.S., to Israel and to the peace and stability of the Middle East” and a “great ally and partner.” He said that Jordan’s King Abdullah II had stressed the economic, natural resource and refugee challenges the country faces. Lawler argued that the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia should invest in Jordan to help support its stability, “which is vital to our national security interests and certainly that of Israel.”

https://jewishinsider.com/2025/05/mike-lawler-iran-nuclear-talks-u-s-israel-middle-east/