Topline
President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested the agreement to end the Iran war has not yet been finalized and he is prepared to bomb the country if he doesn’t like the deal or if Tehran doesn’t “behave,” in his latest flip-flop on the peace talks just days after he declared that his “great deal” with Iran to end the war and reopen the Hormuz Strait was “now complete.”
Key Facts
Speaking to reporters at the G7 Summit in France, Trump first praised the deal with Iran but then said it was just a “memorandum of understanding.”
Trump added that if he doesn’t like the deal, he will “go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their heads.”
Just before his bombing threat, Trump told reporters it was a “very strong deal” but also added, “nobody knows what it is,” although most people “seem to be very happy,” and said the stock market was also cheering the deal.
The president also vehemently pushed back on reports that Iran will get a $300 billion reconstruction fund as part of the deal, saying it was false and “we’re not putting up 10 cents.”
But Trump added he won’t block other Gulf nations from investing in such a fund, noting, “What am I going to do, say no one is ever allowed to invest?”
The president also pushed back against comparisons with former President Barack Obama’s Iran deal, claiming that his predecessor handed Iran $1.7 billion in cash and tried to “bribe his way out.”
Crucial Quote
The president’s latest flip-flop on Iran comes just hours after G7 leaders issued a joint statement praising the deal. The statement read: “We welcome the announcement of a deal between the United States and Iran, secured under the strong leadership of President Trump, with the support of mediating countries, which provides an historic opportunity to prevent Iran from acquiring any nuclear weapon and tackling the threats related to its regional and ballistic activities. We support and are ready to contribute to its implementation.”
Key Background
On Sunday, Trump announced a deal with Iran was “now complete” and that it would lead to the Strait of Hormuz being reopened immediately. But, shortly after declaring “Let the oil flow,” the president said the “Great Deal” would be signed and Hormuz would reopen on Friday to allow time for “mine removal.” The deal’s signing is expected to happen in Geneva this week. However, Trump has come under criticism both from Iran hawks who supported his war and Democrat critics over the lack of clarity about the deal. The purported memorandum of understanding has not yet been made public.
further reading
Lack Of Details On Trump’s ‘Great’ Iran Deal Prompts Criticism From All Sides (Forbes)
Trump Says Iran Peace Deal ‘Complete’—Ends Strait Of Hormuz Blockade (Forbes)