Transcript: Michael Leiter on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," July 12, 2026

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter emphasized on Sunday the need to continue the diplomatic work championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, particularly regarding normalization of relations in the Middle East. Leiter recalled Graham as a "dear friend" whose vision for peace included defeating the Iranian regime and preventing it from being a "regional hegemon menacing its neighbors."

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Lindsey was a dear friend. My first day in Washington, January 27 2025, the first phone call I got once I landed on my seat in the embassy was from Lindsey Graham. He said, "can we have dinner tonight?"

Speaking on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Leiter noted that Graham had been a "fierce advocate" for both defeating Iran and for normalization, a pitch he made on the program just three weeks prior. Leiter affirmed that working towards this end is essential, but it hinges on the first part of Graham's vision being fulfilled: Iran no longer posing a threat to its neighbors.

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And he was not only a fierce advocate of defeating this Iranian regime, he was also a fierce advocate of what would happen afterwards. And he saw, he had a vision for peace in the Middle East.

Leiter also addressed the recent collapse of a truce between the United States and Iran, which aimed to pause hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He pointed out that Iran's failure to uphold its commitment to keeping the straits open, as stipulated in a recent Memorandum of Understanding, forced the U.S. to resume kinetic activity. Leiter stated that Israel, as an ally, would be prepared to rejoin kinetic activity against Iran if called upon by the United States, aligning with President Trump's consistent approach of favoring diplomacy but resorting to military action when necessary.

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Absolutely, we have to work toward that end, but it really is going to happen if his first part of that vision is fulfilled, and that's that Iran is no longer a regional hegemon menacing its neighbors.

Ambassador Leiter acknowledged that while the U.S. has resumed bombing, Iran has not yet fired on Israel, and Israel has not fired on Iran. He reiterated the U.S. administration's stance: if diplomacy works, it is the preferred route, but when it fails, military action becomes the alternative. He confirmed that Israel stands ready to support its ally, the United States, in any necessary kinetic operations against Iran.

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President Trump has been consistent, I think, throughout this confrontation. If talks will work, if diplomacy can work, then he's in favor of the diplomatic route. But when it doesn't work, you have to go back to military and kinetic activity.