Iran is in a stronger position relative to the US than it was before US President Donald Trump’s “reckless and costly war,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) claimed in a press conference prior to a security briefing on the US-Iran war on Monday. 

Jeffries told reporters that the war, which has “adversely impacted the national security interests of the American people,” requires a full unclassified briefing for the US House of Representatives. 

“It’s my hope that that will happen sooner rather than later,” he said regarding the briefing. 

Special US Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed Congress on US-Iran peace talks on Monday for the first time since Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Tehran earlier this month. 

Witkoff and Rubio reportedly assured lawmakers that a final deal would prevent Iran from keeping its stockpile of highly enriched uranium after officials from both parties pressed the administration on the matter, according to a Politico report.

‘Position remains the same’ on Israel

When asked where he and the Democratic Party stand in terms of supporting Israel, Jeffries answered that his “position has and remains the same.” 

He argued that while the US should continue to support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state, a strong push for a Palestinian state that can “live side-by-side in peace and prosperity with the state of Israel” is necessary. 

US policy needs to have “legitimate aspirations for self-determination and dignity for the Palestinian people,” he added. 

“What we’ve seen over the last several years cannot ever happen again, and US policy has consistently, through different administrations until this one, been to try and actually achieve a safe and secure Israel and an independent Palestinian state, side-by-side, as part of our commitment to find and obtain a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” he claimed. 

Jeffries also told reporters that an in-person discussion is set for Tuesday to deliberate on the state and foreign operations bill that “may or may not be on the floor later this week.” 

“We’ll have more to say on this particular bill and any amendments connected to it,” he added.