The Trump administration has denied Israel access to the text of an interim peace agreement with Iran, according to multiple reports, in a move that underscores deepening mistrust between the two allies. The memorandum of understanding, mediated by Pakistan and expected to be signed formally in Geneva, extends a fragile ceasefire first declared in April and opens the door for Tehran to resume oil sales. Israeli officials, who requested to review the draft, were told that Washington feared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might leak the document before its official release—a concern Israeli media have described as a “remarkable and highly unusual development” in a relationship historically defined by intimate intelligence sharing.

Viewed from Washington, the refusal reflects a determination to tightly control the rollout of a deal fraught with regional sensitivities. Vice President J.D. Vance stated that the text had not been made public because the administration needed to “pursue the matter in the correct way” and address concerns in the Arab and Muslim world. The agreement, which waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales and covers associated banking services, was reportedly the subject of near-daily meetings of the US national security team. By keeping the details under wraps, the White House appears to be balancing complex diplomatic choreography—including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—against the risk of premature disclosure by a prime minister who has openly campaigned against any accommodation with Tehran.

From Israel’s perspective, the denial leaves a key regional partner in the dark on a matter of existential national security. Netanyahu, who has long warned against any deal that bolsters Iran’s economy, barely mentioned the agreement during an eight-minute press conference, and his office declined to comment. The sense of exclusion is compounded by Pakistan’s role as mediator, a country with which Israel has no formal ties. Israeli media noted that the US refusal comes amid broader strains between Trump and Netanyahu over the Lebanon conflict and the administration’s push for a swift end to hostilities with Iran.

A US official dismissed the initial report as “inaccurate,” insisting that Washington had maintained close coordination with regional partners, including Israel, throughout the negotiations. Yet the episode reveals a deeper unease. Analysts in London suggest that Trump’s willingness to bypass Israel and offer Tehran significant concessions—including the immediate resumption of oil exports—signals a pragmatic shift in Middle East policy, one that prioritises de-escalation and economic leverage over the traditional alliance framework. As the formal signing ceremony approaches, the durability of the ceasefire and the health of the US-Israel relationship will both be tested by the opaque terms of a deal that one key ally has been barred from reading.