I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
House Passes Iran-Related Bills. On June 8, the House passed H.R. 6230, the Tehran Incitement to Violence Act, which would require the administration to assess whether certain Iranian clerics should be designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists “for issuing and promoting Sharia-based fatwas calling for the assassination of” President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other US and allied leaders.
On June 9, the House also passed H.R. 2505, which would require the development of strategies and options to prevent the export to Iran of certain technologies related to unmanned aircraft systems.
Bipartisan Senate Bill Targets Those Fueling Sudan War. On June 10, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jim Risch (R-ID), Chris Coons (D-DE), and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced legislation to hold accountable those perpetrating and supporting the Sudan war. The bill would expand discretionary sanctions authorities, direct the Secretary of State to assess whether armed actors in Sudan meet the criteria for designation as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, extend the authorization for a US special envoy for Sudan, and investigate whether actions violate US defense cooperation agreements. The bill also requires regular reports to Congress on foreign support for the warring parties, atrocities committed during the conflict, and countries holding assets for the warring parties.
House Democrat Introduces Iran War Powers Resolution. On June 11, Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) introduced an Iran War Powers resolution that would halt US military operations against Iran without congressional authorization.
House Subcommittee Advances FY27 Defense Appropriations Bill. On June 11, the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee advanced the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Defense Appropriations bill. Middle East-related provisions include:
- $500 million for Israeli Cooperative Programs: $20 million for Iron Dome procurement, $127 million for the Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense (SRBMD) program, $30 million for US-Israel SRBMD co-production, $150 million for Arrow 3 Upper Tier co-production, and $173 million for the Arrow System Improvement Program (Section 8068);
- $150 million for Jordan (Section 8105) and up to $500 million to support the Jordanian armed forces (Section 8116); and
- $303 million for the Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund.
SASC Completes Markup of NDAA. On June 11, the Senate Armed Services Committee completed its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027. According to the executive summary, the bill “establishes the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative to expand and accelerate bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, coordination, and industrial cooperation between the US and Israel.” The bill also:
- Authorizes the Civil Military Coordination Center to oversee the Gaza ceasefire in pursuit of Hamas’s disarmament;
- Increases funding for US-Israel cooperation on countering unmanned aerial systems and subterranean warfare;
- Directs an initiative to deepen US defense cooperation with Abraham Accords signatories;
- Conditions funding for the Lebanese Armed Forces on efforts to counter Hezbollah;
- Conditions defense support for the Syrian government on its efforts to “disarm all foreign fighters and jihadists who remain in Syria”; and
- Continues Counter-ISIS Train and Equip funding for Iraqi Kurdish partners.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
Bicameral Lawmakers Press Israel to Allow Cancer Patients to Leave Gaza for Treatment. On June 11, Reps. James McGovern (D-MA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), and Maxine Dexter (D-OR), alongside Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), led 57 other lawmakers in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the administration to press the Israeli government to reestablish a medical corridor allowing Palestinian cancer patients in Gaza to seek treatment in hospitals in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The lawmakers also called on the administration to ensure that hospitals and other medical infrastructure in Gaza are rebuilt and protected.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Threatens Further Strikes Against Iran. On June 8, President Trump said that Israel and Iran were seeking an immediate ceasefire and that negotiations were underway to reach a final peace agreement. The next day, Trump said that Iran had shot down a US Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz and that the United States would retaliate. CENTCOM announced strikes on Iranian military assets the same day in response.
On June 10, Trump said that Iran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations and told reporters in the Oval Office that the United States would continue to attack Iran. He insisted that a deal with Iran had been “fully negotiated” but that Iran was stalling on signing because it knows how significant the concessions would be. He also said on Truth Social that the US military had secretly escorted 200 commercial ships and more than 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
That same day, CENTCOM announced that it had begun launching additional “self-defense” strikes against multiple targets in Iran.
Vance Says Netanyahu Has “Gotten Some Things Wrong” During Iran War. On June 10, in an interview with CBS News, Vice President JD Vance said that Prime Minister Netanyahu had “certainly gotten some things wrong” in his dealings with the United States during the Iran war. At the same time, Vance described Netanyahu as “a good partner” who “aggressively asserts the interests of his country.”
Trump Calls Off Planned Iran Strikes After Signaling Progress in Talks. On June 11, Trump announced that an agreement had been reached with Iran, pending a signing that he said would shortly follow. He added that the US naval blockade would remain in full force until the agreement is finalized. The announcement came hours after he had said that the United States would hit Iran “very hard” overnight and threatened to “assume total control” of Iran’s oil and gas industries, including Kharg Island, in the future.
United States, Iran Reach a Deal to End the War. On June 14, President Trump announced that the United States and Iran had reached a deal to end the war, halt the US blockade of Iran, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He confirmed that the signing ceremony would be held on June 19.
According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, the draft agreement includes an immediate and permanent ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon; the lifting of the naval blockade within 30 days; the withdrawal of US forces from around Iran; and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The draft also reportedly provides for the suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales, a 60-day period of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, and the release of $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets during those talks.
The announcement came hours after Israel struck Beirut. Trump criticized the attack, saying that it should not have occurred while the parties were close to reaching a deal. In an interview with Axios, he expressed frustration with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
2) Department of State
United States, Partners Back Civilian-Led Political Process in Sudan. On June 8, the United States joined several countries and international organizations in endorsing a joint statement supporting a civilian-led political process to end the war in Sudan. The statement called for a humanitarian truce leading to a permanent ceasefire, asserted that there could be no military solution to the conflict, and backed plans for an inclusive Sudanese civilian dialogue aimed at establishing an independent civilian-led government.
United States, Partners Condemn Iranian State Threat Activity. On June 10, the United States joined 23 other governments in condemning alleged lethal plotting and other malign actions in Europe, North America, and Australia by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Intelligence Organization, Quds Force, and Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
Department of State Hosts Symposium on “Islamist Ideology and Antisemitism.”On June 11, the Department of State hosted its first Symposium on “Islamist Ideology and Antisemitism.” The event convened officials from the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, Department of War, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Community, and White House to discuss what participants described as transnational threats posed by foreign governments and terrorist organizations.
Rubio Speaks with Indian External Affairs Minister. On June 12, Secretary Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to discuss developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
3) Department of the Treasury
United States Targets Iran-Linked Arms Procurement Networks. On June 10, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned nine individuals and entities accused of supporting weapons procurement for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. Concurrently, the Department of State imposed sanctions on two entities and two individuals based in Iran and Belarus for their alleged involvement in procuring arms and related materiel for Iran’s military.
