Trump Warns Iran of Dire Consequences Over Nuclear Arms Ahead of Geneva Peace Deal

US President Donald Trump warned that "all hell will rain down" on Iran if it attempts to acquire a nuclear weapon. He spoke a day after Washington and Tehran announced a memorandum of understanding to end the months-long war that erupted in February.

Trump delivered the threat alongside Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the G7 summit in France, according to Al Jazeera. "The only thing that really matters to me is Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and it says it loud and clear," Trump told the press.

Trump said he assumes Iran possesses a "rational leadership" now, after attacks by the US and Israel killed numerous Iranian officials earlier in the war. "Iranian leaders who were 'totally irrational' are 'now gone'," he said.

The two nations announced the agreement on Sunday to halt the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A formal signing ceremony is scheduled for June 19 in Geneva. This initiates a 60-day negotiation window to address unresolved issues, including international inspections and monitoring, sanctions, and broader nuclear-related commitments.

Framework of the Agreement

"We have our deal done with Iran, and it should be successful; it goes to a second stage, which I think would be actually easier," Trump told reporters, Reuters said.

The framework requires Iran to halt nuclear weapon development, maintain the current status of its nuclear programme until a final agreement is reached, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. In exchange, the US will lift its naval blockade and begin discussions on sanctions relief.

Trump framed the nuclear provisions as the core of the agreement, saying it creates a "wall" against Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. He contrasted the emerging pact with the 2015 agreement negotiated under former US President Barack Obama, which he described as "a road to a nuclear weapon". "It can’t have a nuclear weapon, or they get blown up," Trump said. He also dismissed reports of US financial assistance to Tehran as "fake news."

US Vice President JD Vance said Iran committed to disposing of its highly enriched uranium stockpile. However, he denied that Washington had provided immediate sanctions relief or unfrozen Iranian assets.

Hurdles to Lasting Peace

While Trump has repeatedly said the Strait of Hormuz will be fully open by Friday, shipping companies remain cautious despite falling oil prices. The head of Mitsui OSK Lines warned it could take weeks for commercial traffic to resume in the Strait of Hormuz. Shipowners wait for proof that the agreement is durable after several failed attempts to reopen the waterway, the Financial Times reported.

Regional tensions also threaten the agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is not bound by the pact and reiterated that Iran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. Trump acknowledged differences with Israel, saying he told Netanyahu to be "more responsible" following recent Israeli military strikes in Beirut, Reuters said.

Iranian officials warned that continued Israeli actions in Lebanon could jeopardise the broader understanding reached with Washington.