Trump rebukes Netanyahu over Beirut strike that delayed US-Iran peace deal
Lebanon ceasefire and Hormuz reopening form key parts of agreement
Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief remain unresolved issues
US President Donald Trump has publicly castigated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over an Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah targets in Beirut that he said nearly derailed the US-Iran peace deal and delayed its signing by several hours.
Trump described his reaction on multiple US outlets, telling Axios he was furious when he learned of the strike. "What the f*** are you doing?" Trump said he told Netanyahu by phone, adding, "Why did Bibi have to do a f***ing attack? I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no f***ing judgement."
Speaking to The New York Times, Trump called Netanyahu "a very difficult guy" and suggested Israel "should be very thankful" to the US for negotiating the deal. "If Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn't be around for two hours," he said.
The strike forced a delay to the signing, which Trump said pushed to take place electronically on Sunday, with an in-person ceremony in Europe scheduled for a week from now on June 19. Trump had also been speaking to intermediaries in Iran to dissuade Tehran from retaliating to the Beirut strikes, which threatened to unravel weeks of difficult negotiations.
"We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region. Let's not blow it," he posted on Truth Social as Iran threatened a military response.
What Deal Covers and Does Not
The memorandum of understanding, due to be signed in Geneva, provides for an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts including Lebanon, the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the shipping route would be "permanently toll-free" under the terms of the agreement.
However, the deal leaves the thorniest issues unresolved, offering instead a 60-day framework for technical discussions. Iran's nuclear programme, its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, billions of dollars in frozen assets and its ballistic missile capabilities are all subject to further negotiation rather than settled terms.
Trump told the NYT that if Iran failed to reach a final nuclear accord within the stipulated timeframe, the US military would restart strikes or, alternatively, the US would become "the guardian of the Middle East" in return for 20% of the region's revenues.
