Mike Pence calls Trump's Iran MOU 'a plan to make a plan' after earlier giving him latitude

WASHINGTON, DC: Former Vice President Mike Pence sharpened his criticism of President Donald Trump's Iran agreement, dismissing the memorandum of understanding as "a plan to make a plan" after previously saying Trump deserved some latitude.

His latest comments added pressure from hawks who want tougher terms. Pence argued the deal rewards Tehran too early while leaving major security issues unresolved.

Mike Pence hardens criticism of Iran MOU

In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, the former vice president praised Trump for "acting decisively" by launching military action against Iran and said Americans should welcome peace because nobody "wants another prolonged war in the Middle East."

But Pence said the agreement reached last week "falls well short of what is required to end the Iranian threat."

"It smacks of the kind of appeasement the president rightly rejected during our first term," Pence wrote. "It isn't the deal a defeated Iran should be getting. It isn't even a deal — it's a plan to make a plan."

Pence argued the 14-point memorandum does not "capitalize" on what he described as Iran's weakened military position following the conflict.

His criticism marked a harder line after he told the Hill that he still had "very real concerns" but said Trump deserved some latitude to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and use a 60-day window to finalize a deal.

Former Vice President says Tehran gets benefits too early

Pence said his biggest concern was that the MOU does not require Iran to dismantle its nuclear program or end uranium enrichment.

He also wrote that preserving Iran's ballistic missile capability and leaving "Iranian support for terrorist organizations" untouched were "equally concerning."

"And while the agreement's timeline postpones answers on critical nuclear questions, it provides immediate economic benefits through partial sanctions relief and renewed energy exports, which will generate an estimated $5 billion a month for what remains of the Iranian regime," Pence wrote.

"That gets the sequence backward," he added. "The US shouldn't provide economic relief first and seek security concessions later. We should secure the concessions first."

Pence argued that recent US military operations had created an opportunity to force concessions on Iran's nuclear activities, missile capabilities and support for militant groups.

Tougher terms on Iran sought by Pence

The former vice president also called for restoring "freedom of navigation" through the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iran should "face the full force of the American military" if necessary.

"This 60-day period should be used to secure what this agreement doesn't yet provide: an end to Iran's nuclear ambitions, an end to Iranian-backed terror, and an end to its half-century of warfare against the US and Israel," Pence wrote.

"If those reasonable goals cannot be achieved, Mr Trump should let the armed forces finish the job," wrote Pence.

Speaking to Fox News after Iran indicated the strait had again been closed, Trump said, "We may take over the strait, if we have to. I'll blow the s— out of them."