Trump Says U.S. Nearing Iran Deal, Plans Imminent Announcement - WSJ
President Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that he will “imminently” issue a statement confirming a U.S. agreement with Iran. Iran has not yet confirmed it would sign on. Trump said the deal could be signed electronically by either him or Vice President JD Vance, just hours before he was set to attend a UFC event on the White House lawn.
The agreement, described by some as a memorandum of understanding, would set up further talks and, as Trump noted, mark a major step toward ending the nearly four-month conflict.
Trump said the framework would include Iran agreeing not to obtain nuclear weapons and an immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said the removal of nuclear material would be handled later. “We’ll get the nuclear dust later on when we’re ready to go in and do it… there’s no rush,” he said, calling it “harmless.” He added that both sides want the conflict to end.
On skepticism about Iran’s willingness to comply, Trump said, “I think they want to get it done.” He also said regime change was not a priority, calling the current Iranian leadership “the most rational group yet.”
Trump said there would be strong inspections on the Iranians but didn’t specify how they would work. He said that Iran wouldn’t be provided cash in the deal, but sanctions could potentially be lifted. “We’ll see how they behave,” he said.
He also said a naval blockade was “more powerful than the hits.”
Trump expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after recent Israel-Hezbollah exchanges in Lebanon that he said nearly jeopardized talks. “Bibi shouldn’t have done that,” he said, referring to strikes he described as limited but destabilizing. He claimed Netanyahu ultimately supports the deal and said Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon under any circumstance.”
A Qatari delegation traveled to Tehran on Sunday as mediators pushed to finalize the agreement, which reportedly includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a ceasefire framework in Lebanon.
Hard-liners in both Iran and Israel have opposed the deal, while Netanyahu’s critics accuse him of constraining Israel’s military options.