US, Iran on verge of agreement, Trump claims
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump said that a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran will be signed within the next few hours, according to the president's phone interviews with Axios journalist Barak Ravid and Fox News journalist Trey Yingst.
In a social media post, Barak Ravid said that according to Trump, the US-Iran agreement aimed at ending the war is still expected to move forward today despite Israel's strike on Beirut and the threat of retaliation from Tehran.
Trump said he was very unhappy with Israel's attack and had conveyed that message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Why did Bibi have to do a fucking attack? I was so pissee off. I let him know. He has no fucking judgement. I let him know that," the US president said.
Speaking to Trey Yingst, he largely repeated the same points and added that he would ask Iran not to respond with missile strikes against Israel.
Trump also said that the agreement with Iran is expected to be signed within the next two to three hours. According to Trump, the signing will take place online, with an in-person signing ceremony in Europe expected a week later.
He added that afterward he would immediately order the lifting of the blockade on Iranian ports (referring to steps following today's signing).
Background
Yesterday, June 13, Donald Trump announced that the United States and Iran could sign a memorandum of understanding as early as today, Sunday, June 14.
The proposed framework agreement would extend the ceasefire for 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and use that two-month period to negotiate the final document to end the war.
However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected Trump's timeline yesterday, saying that the agreement could be signed soon, but not today.
Another complication emerged with today's Israeli strike on Lebanon. Trump later wrote on social media that the attack should not have happened and called on all sides to refrain from opening fire.
