Nuclear talks begin. Iran walks out.

Summary

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Ark News Daily – June 22, 2026

Episode Title: Nuclear talks begin. Iran walks out.
Host: Deborah Pardes
Main Theme:
This episode covers the abrupt breakdown of new U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Switzerland, escalating violence between Hezbollah and Israel, intense diplomatic maneuvering, Israel’s internal political tensions, and the passing of pioneering Israeli artist Yaakov Agam.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Nuclear Talks Collapse (00:13–02:20)

• Start of Talks:
  The latest phase of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran began in Switzerland, initiating a highly anticipated 60-day diplomatic window.

• Early Optimism:

  • Vice President J.D. Vance expressed hope for a diplomatic breakthrough:

    “What the President has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf and to extend an outstretched hand that says to the people of Iran that if your leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country.” (J.D. Vance, 00:50–01:07)

• Rapid Collapse:

  • The talks fell apart within hours after a surge in regional violence, with Iran walking out in protest.

2. Rising Tensions: Violence and Diplomatic Fallout (01:07–03:40)

• Hezbollah Attack & Israeli Response:

  • Hezbollah killed five Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli retaliation.
  • Iran claimed Israel’s response breached pre-existing agreements and closed the Strait of Hormuz as a result.

• International Reactions:

  • Donald Trump (Truth Social):

    “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again.” (Referenced at 01:07–01:50)

• Negotiation Stalemate:

  • Iranian media announced their delegation had shut down talks and left in protest.

• Geopolitical Analysis:

  • Nava Freiberg (Times of Israel): Called Iran’s walkout "a clear demonstration of Iran's leverage," highlighting Iran’s use of Lebanon as diplomatic leverage.

  • Michael Oren (Former Israeli Ambassador):

    “This country cannot endure Hezbollah fire on our soldiers or our civil. You'll have to strike back. This is of paramount strategic interest.” (Paraphrased at 02:20–02:38)

  • Summary: Every Israeli response provides Iran with justification to escalate the situation and control the agenda.

3. Political Firestorm: Ben Gvir’s Controversial Rhetoric (03:40–04:53)

• Itamar Ben Gvir’s Tweet:

  • In the wake of Israeli soldier deaths, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted:

    “For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. All of Lebanon must burn.” (Tweet referenced at 03:50–03:59)

  • The post went viral (18 million views), was flagged on X for ToS violations, but not removed.

• Widespread Backlash:

  • Yvette Cooper (UK Foreign Secretary): Labeled the remarks “horrendous and abhorrent.”
  • Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi amplified the controversy, tagging both Trump and Vance:

    “This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime.” (04:05–04:20)

• Domestic Response:

  • Naftali Bennett (former Israeli Prime Minister) pushed back against Ben Gvir:

    “Pay no attention to Ben Gvir. He's a clown who represents neither Israel’s values nor its actions.” (Cribbed from his response to Piers Morgan at 04:28–04:38)

  • Netanyahu remains silent—per analyst Tal Schneider, his silence is widely interpreted as tacit consent due to upcoming elections and coalition politics.

• Implication:

  • Such rhetoric, especially during sensitive diplomatic moments, provides adversaries with propaganda tools and further complicates diplomatic efforts.

4. Tribute: Yaakov Agam, Israeli Artist (04:53–06:38)

• Passing of a Pioneer:

  • Yaakov Agam, famed Israeli artist and pioneer of kinetic art, died at 98.

• Artistic Significance:

  • Agam’s works are in major institutions, such as the Guggenheim (NYC) and Centre Pompidou (Paris).
  • Notably designed the world’s largest Hanukkah Menorah (NYC) and the iconic Dizengoff Square Water and Fire Fountain (Tel Aviv).

• Artistic Philosophy:

  • Agam’s methods were rooted in Jewish mysticism and abstraction to respect religious commandments:

    “To avoid violating the commandment against making so called graven images or idols, he developed a unique artistic language that blended abstraction, movement and color.” (05:54–06:10)

• Funeral Arrangements:

  • Scheduled for Monday afternoon in Israel.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• J.D. Vance (US Vice President, 00:50):

  “What the President has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf and to extend an outstretched hand…”
  (Optimism at the talks’ outset)

• Donald Trump (Truth Social, paraphrased at 01:50):

  “If they don't [stop proxy attacks], we’ll hit Iran very hard again.”
  (Contributing to the talks’ breakdown)

• Itamar Ben Gvir (tweet quoted at 03:50):

  “For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. All of Lebanon must burn.” (Flagged, widely condemned statement)

• Abbas Aragchi (Iranian FM, 04:15):

  “This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime.”

• Naftali Bennett (04:28):

  “Pay no attention to Ben Gvir. He's a clown who represents neither Israel’s values nor its actions.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Nuclear talks open & collapse: 00:13–02:20
• Regional violence and diplomatic analysis: 01:07–03:40
• Ben Gvir controversy & political fallout: 03:40–04:53
• Tribute to Yaakov Agam: 04:53–06:38

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This episode weaves together the fragility of Middle Eastern diplomacy, the volatility of regional and internal politics, the powerful role of rhetoric and propaganda, and a moment of cultural reflection, offering vital context as the world watches events in the region unfold.

Transcript

[A]

You are listening to an art media podcast.

[B]

It's Monday, june 22nd. This episode was recorded at 6pm new york time on Sunday. I'm deborah pardes and this is arc news daily. The latest phase of the U. S. Iran negotiations began yesterday in Switzerland. This is the start of the 60 day window we've been talking about. And Iran walked out within hours. At the start of the day, Vice President J.D. vance told reporters he was hopeful the talks would not only lead to answers on Iran's nuclear program, but would also spark a new relationship with Iran.

[C]

What the President has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf and to extend an outstretched hand that says to the people of Iran that if your leadership is willing to to give up being a driver of regional instability, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country.

[B]

But his comments ignored what was happening on the ground before the summit even started. Hezbollah killed five IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon. Israel struck back and Iran called that response a breach of the agreement and then declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again. Trump responded on Truth Social. He said Iran must immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again. That was reportedly enough to bring Sunday's opening session to a close. Iran's state affiliated news agencies said that the Iranian delegation had halted the negotiations and left the venue in protest. In an analysis yesterday, the Times of Israel's diplomatic correspondent Nava Freiberg called it a clear demonstration of Iran's leverage. As many predicted, Iran is using Lebanon to redirect the entire diplomatic conversation. Israel was not party to the earlier MoU and it has no seat at the table in Switzerland. But as former Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren told the Times of Israel, this country cannot endure Hezbollah fire on our soldiers or our civil. You'll have to strike back. This is of paramount strategic interest. That's the ongoing dilemma Israel faces. It cannot let the attacks go unanswered. But every Israeli strike gives Iran a pretext to close Hormuz and reshape the diplomatic agenda. Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben GVIR has drawn international attention once again, this time for his response to the deaths of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah attacks. Over the week, he posted on X saying, quote, for every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. All of Lebanon must burn. The post racked up over 18 million views. X flagged it as a violation of its terms of service, but didn't take it down. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the remarks horrendous and abhorrent. Iran also jumped on the tweet. Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi posted a screenshot and tagged both Trump and Vance directly. He wrote, this is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime. One of the only prominent voices in Israel to push back was former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who's running against Netanyahu in October's elections. He responded to British broadcaster Piers Morgan, who had called Ben GVIR a psychopathic monster. Bennett said, pay no attention to Ben gvir. He's a clown who represents neither Israel's values nor its actions. Netanyahu himself has been completely silent. It's likely a political calculation. With elections approaching this fall, NETanyahu needs Ben Gvir's votes. But as the Times of Israel's political correspondent Tal Schneider wrote in her op ed, when the prime minister says nothing, the world concludes that silence equals consent. As the election campaign heats up, this kind of rhetoric is expected to get louder. And each time it does, it hands Israel's adversaries a ready made weapon, one that lands as it did this weekend, right in the middle of the most sensitive diplomatic moments. Israel lost one of its most original artists this weekend. Yaakov Agam passed away on Sunday at the age of 98. But his work will live on in some of the most prestigious museums like and the Guggenheim in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Agam also designed the world's largest Hanukkah Menorah. It's a massive 32 foot structure that gets set up every holiday season right at 59th street and Fifth Avenue in New York City. Born in 1928 in Rishon Lizion, Agam was the son of a rabbi. He studied art in Jerusalem and Zurich before settling in Paris in 1951. He pioneered what's known as kinetic art. His sculptures don't actually move on their own, but they are created in a way that makes them change depending on where you stand. Agam always said his work was deeply influenced by Jewish mysticism. To avoid violating the commandment against making so called graven images or idols, he developed a unique artistic language that blended abstraction, movement and color. That was a style that brought him international acclaim. If you've ever been to Tel Aviv, you probably know one of its most famous landmarks, the sculpture Agam created for Dizengoff Square back in the mid-80s it's called the Water and Fire Fountain. Originally, it was a colorful spinning sculpture meant to feel alive. It's still there today, but during a renovation, the color was removed and never brought back. Agam's funeral procession is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Israel. I'm Deborah Pardes, and this is ARC News Daily. See you tomorrow.

[D]

Hi, I'm Dan Senor, host of the Call Me Back podcast. These past few years have asked a lot of the Jewish world. We've been wrestling with pain, disagreement and dilemmas. The war in Gaza, the war with Iran, the pressure on Jewish communities in diaspora societies, and the upcoming Israeli elections, which may bring many of these tensions to a head. These are not simple stories, and in a moment filled with bad information and overly simplistic answers, it can be hard to know who to trust. At CallMeBack, we know that trust has to be earned, and we know your time is valuable, so when you spend it with us, we take that seriously. We don't claim to have all the answers, but we do try to ask better questions with honesty and humility. It may be that is where hope begins. Not in pretending this moment is simple, but in believing at a minimum, we must face it together. You can find Call me back on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you there.