US-Iran Deal Strains Allies as Ceasefire Clock Ticks
Trump praises Netanyahu but US intelligence warns of sabotage; Iran postpones talks.
US-Iran Deal Strains Allies as Ceasefire Clock Ticks — At a UN hearing on Friday, Israeli envoy Danny Danon clashed with officials over a report blacklisting Israel, telling Vanessa Frazier, 'We are a member state, and you work for the US, and you will be quiet now... you and your shameful report.'[^1] The outburst came hours after US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a 'warrior prime minister' at the unveiling of a new Air Force One plane—a Boeing 747-8 worth $400 million, received as a gift from Qatar.[^2][^7] Yet behind the public warmth, The Washington Post reported that US intelligence assesses Netanyahu may take actions in Lebanon that undermine the administration's push for peace with Iran.[^5] Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Switzerland to open a first round of talks with Iran, but Tehran has conditioned negotiations on a ceasefire in Lebanon.[^3] Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baqaei confirmed the postponement of Friday's meeting, while mediators work to reschedule.[^5] The Houthi Foreign Ministry warned that the 'Axis of Resistance will not sit idle in the face of ongoing Israeli escalation,'[^8] as Lebanon's Health Ministry reported 47 killed and 97 wounded in IDF strikes since midnight.[^4] Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire set to begin at 4 p.m. local time on Friday, but Israel has vowed to keep troops in a buffer zone in southern Lebanon—a stance an unnamed administration official called 'a recipe for disaster.'[^5][^9] German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opposed EU sanctions on Israel, while the British bar association temporarily suspended ICC prosecutor Karim Khan over misconduct claims, ahead of a July 24 vote on his removal by the 125-member Assembly of States Parties.[^6][^10] The US-Iran deal is already fraying alliances: the New York Times reports the US is losing allies, and Arab world media express disappointment. Trump has set a 60-day deadline for a deal, warning that 'ships are massively leaving the Strait of Hormuz.' Whether Netanyahu's 'warrior' instincts or Trump's dealmaking prevail remains an open question. US-Italy rift and sinking approval: T