President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for peace with Iran has been essentially finalized, and the Strait of Hormuz will fully reopen on June 19.
Speaking to reporters before meeting French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit in Évian, Trump stated that all agreements have been signed, and as you know, the Strait has already been partially reopened.
He added that some mine clearing operations are ongoing, but ships have resumed operations. It will be fully open by Friday.
Trump remarked that they’ve collaborated exceptionally well with Iran, noting that the first two leaderships have gone, but the third is very astute and robust.
Referring to the renewed attacks on Iran on June 9 and 10, he said that he expected the third night to be similar, but it reached an agreement beforehand.
Trump expressed optimism, stating that the Iran deal will bring tremendous success globally. Oil prices are plummeting, and the stock market is skyrocketing.
He emphasized Iran’s commitment to abandon nuclear weapons as a key outcome.
The critical point is that Iran will not possess nuclear weapons, he asserted, explaining that Iran has fully agreed to conditions including robust verification measures and will not have nuclear weapons.
He continued that it was the core issue from the start, arguing that if they had nuclear weapons, it would have actually used them.
Trump also criticized the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) initiated by the Barack Obama administration, which he withdrew from during his first term.
He claimed that Obama’s deal was a path to nuclear weapons, describing it as disastrous for the U.S., funneling billions to Iran.
Regarding potential sanction relief for Iran, Trump stated that it depends on compliance. If Iran fulfills its obligations, sanctions will begin to ease.
When asked about attending the MOU signing ceremony with Iran in Geneva on June 19, he replied that he’ll have to assess the situation, but Vice President JD Vance is coming for that. He probably won’t be here by then.
On publicizing the MOU, he indicated that it will be released soon. It’s a very robust document, and it hopes to release it. Unlike the terrible Obama era, it will likely be made public sometime after Friday.
When questioned about expectations from France, he stated that he doesn’t foresee needing significant assistance, as they’ve agreed to open the strait for toll-free use.
He added that while major help isn’t necessary, it wouldn’t hurt for a few countries to deploy a ship or two here.
Regarding ongoing Israel-Hezbollah clashes, Trump said that it wants to see if we can resolve the Lebanon issue. It seems unending, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to solve. It’s a smaller version of what they’ve been doing, and it needs to engage with Hezbollah.
With the Iran agreement nearing completion, Trump expressed his intention to focus on ending the Ukraine war.
He stated that yesterday, he had productive talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Now that this issue is resolved, he’ll concentrate on solving the Ukraine problem.
Meanwhile, Trump began his official G7 schedule with a meeting with President Macron.
According to a senior White House official, after his bilateral meeting with Macron on Monday, Trump will attend the G7 leaders’ welcoming event and a working dinner.
On Tuesday, he’ll participate in a G7 session including Zelenskyy, then hold bilateral meetings with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
He’ll then have a working lunch with G7 and Middle Eastern leaders, attend a session on international investment partnerships, and end the day with a social dinner and cultural event.
On June 17, he’ll attend a G7 session on economic growth and hold bilateral meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He’ll then join an innovation and AI luncheon with G7 leaders and invited heads of state, followed by a dinner hosted by Macron at Versailles before departing.
The U.S. schedule doesn’t include a separate bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, attending as an invited guest. However, last-minute or spontaneous meetings are common at major summits, so a U.S.-South Korea leaders’ meeting can’t be ruled out entirely.
On this European trip, Trump is accompanied by key officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and National Economic Council Chairman Kevin Hassett.