Roger Marshall

Sen. Roger Marshall supports a memorandum of understanding with Iran to continue peace negotiations.

Marshall stated he is unwilling to take the steps necessary for an unconditional surrender, citing potential civilian casualties and the need for a ground invasion.

The senator's key goals for the deal are preventing a nuclear Iran, ending "forever wars," keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, and ensuring affordable gas and groceries.

The agreement also addresses the conflict in Lebanon and involves unfreezing Iranian assets rather than using U.S. funds for reconstruction.

As the United States and Iran continue peace negotiations for a long-term end to the war, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall said "I'm not willing to do" what it would take to force an unconditional surrender.

Marshall's comments in a June 23 press call with Kansas media come after a memorandum of understanding was signed with Iran, which kicks off further negotiations.

"I bet when it's all said and done, as Kansans start to hear more about this deal that we're trying to work with the Iranians, I think that more and more Kansans are going to support it," Marshall said.

Marshall indicated he has spoken about the peace deal with Vice President JD Vance, envoy Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

"I think about this memorandum of understanding with Iran, I always stay focused on those goals," he said. "That number one is no nukes. Next, no forever wars. Number three, keep the strait open. And number four is affordable gas and groceries for Americans. So as long as you stay focused on that, the memorandum of understanding makes sense to me."

With the memorandum in place, negotiations continue on a long-term peace deal. Hostilities began to increase again last week after a tanker was struck with a projectile June 27. The United States responded with retaliatory strikes.

"The talks are going better than I expected them to," Marshall said. "But at the end of the day, I realize that we may have to bomb them back to kingdom come, as my grandma would say. I hope we don't have to do that. But we're going to give them the 60-day chance to make progress and deal with the issues I'm describing."

Getting Iran to surrender could take boots on the ground

The United States launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. The length of the war was originally promised by Trump to be about "four to five weeks." Marshall suggested on multiple occasions, including on March 10 and April 1, that "maybe we'll be able to get out of there in two or three weeks."

Marshall listed off the goals of the war when speaking to reporters after an April 1 event in Topeka.

"We are accomplishing the goals we went out to do," he said. "Very specifically, when this all broke out, President Trump said there was four things he wanted to accomplish. Number one, destroy Iran missiles. Next would be their navy. Next would be their nukes. And number four was to destroy their ability to fund and arm terrorists in the future. I think we're probably 90% there."

Since then, Marshall has backtracked on destroying Iranian missiles. He indicated in a June 17 appearance on CNN that he is OK with Iran having missiles because "they have to be able to defend themselves."

In the June 23 press call with Kansas media, Marshall said that "we would not leave Iran with a knife and a pistol, if it were up to me."

"We have destroyed them militarily and economically," Marshall said. "But to get them to a point where there were to be total capitulation, I think would take bombing of civilian targets, or at least there'd be civilian casualties. When you start going after infrastructure, there's going to be tens of thousands of civilians killed. And in my estimation, it would take a ground invasion along with that.

"Just think back to Normandy. Think back to the shores of Iwo Jimo. That even though we bombed them, we still, if you think that we want to get them totally to have an unconditional surrender, that's what it would take — and I'm not willing to do that. I feel like we've got as far as we can without boots on the ground and without creating significant civilian casualties as well."

Marshall, who served in the military, emphasized, "I hate war."

"As a former officer and now a senator, I feel responsible for the 13 lives we've already lost in this Iranian war," he said, while also noting that hundreds more American troops have been wounded.

Nuclear concerns, Israeli attacks in Lebanon and other matters

Marshall said the Trump administration's memorandum of understanding has three main areas: the Iranian nuclear situation, dealing with Lebanon and everything else, which includes sanctions.

"Iran is probably sitting on about 1,000 pounds of 60% enriched uranium," Marshall said. "It would have to go to 90% to be weapon grade."

He said the goal is to down-blend the uranium so it can be used for nuclear energy. He said there is precedent under President Ronald Reagan when something similar was done with the Soviet Union.

Using biblical symbolism, Marshall said "We are trying to take swords and turn them into plowshares."

Speaking on the conflict in Lebanon, Marshall described himself as "a big supporter of Israel."

"It's a spiritual issue to me that I was taught in Sunday school at a young age, he who blesses Israel will be blessed," he said. "And I have stood beside Israel as strong as anybody has. But I'm always an American-first senator."

He said Lebanon needs to be included in the peace negotiations because, "if we don't deal with Lebanon, it'll be a tinderbox that reignites this agreement."

"I remain hopeful, but I also understand Israel can be a little bit of a loose cannon, and certainly the Hezbollah can be a loose cannon as well," he said.

Marshall said he loves the idea of setting up a demilitarized zone.

Other issues in the memorandum include American promises to end sanctions against Iran and secure $300 billion to fund reconstruction and economic development in Iran.

"We're not sending them any American dollars," Marshall said. "Zero. I want to dispel one of the biggest lies I'm hearing out there, is that Americans are giving them any money. We're not giving them any money. We are letting them sell oil right now, sell their own oil right now for the first time."

He suggested the money would come from Iranian assets frozen in other countries.

"I spoke with President Trump several weeks ago about this situation," Marshall said. "We're going to see him again tomorrow and talk about this, I'm sure. But my north star is always no nukes for Iran, no forever wars, keep the strait open, make gas and groceries more affordable and achieve that long-term goal that for generations to come, Americans will be prosperous, safe and secure."