Trump Says Iran Peace Deal Could Be Signed Within Hours Despite Israeli Strikes in Lebanon
President Trump said Sunday that the United States and Iran remain on track to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at extending peace efforts in the Middle East, despite fresh Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon that threatened to derail the negotiations.
Speaking with Fox News’ Trey Yingst, Trump revealed that he personally confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the timing of the strikes.
“What the f— are you doing?” Trump said he asked Netanyahu after learning of the military action near Beirut.
Following the call, the president said he planned to speak directly with Iranian officials and urge them not to retaliate against Israel. Trump also predicted that the memorandum of understanding could be signed within the next several hours, potentially by late Sunday afternoon.
Israel carried out strikes near Beirut in response to Hezbollah firing toward Israeli territory. The Israeli Defense Forces later said the operation targeted a Hezbollah command center. Israeli officials also reported that Hezbollah had launched rockets and drones toward northern Israel.
Despite the renewed violence, President Trump indicated that a diplomatic breakthrough remains within reach. He confirmed that the United States would lift the blockade on Iranian vessels if Tehran agrees to the memorandum and suggested that an in-person signing ceremony could take place at a later date following Sunday’s planned electronic signing.
The president also publicly criticized the timing of Israel’s strikes.
“This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless.”
“We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down,” Trump added. “There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel.”
“Let’s not blow it!”
The latest escalation comes after weeks of mounting tensions that threatened to upend negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Last week, Israel and Lebanon exchanged fire, while the United States also conducted strikes on multiple targets inside Iran after President Trump accused Tehran of delaying talks and “playing us for suckers.”
Those tensions were followed by the announcement of a proposed framework agreement designed to stabilize the region and prevent a wider conflict.
Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned Sunday that Israel’s actions in Lebanon could jeopardize the memorandum of understanding.
“The Zionists’ incursion into Dahiyeh has once again shown that America either lacks the will to fulfill its commitments or the ability to do so,” Qalibaf wrote on social media, according to translated remarks.
Despite those concerns, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz expressed confidence that the agreement would still be completed.
“I’m confident. The team is confident,” Waltz said during an appearance on ABC News’ “This Week.” “I don’t want to get ahead of the president or the vice president, but they have every intent of getting this done today.”
The memorandum of understanding would extend the cease-fire with Iran for an additional 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, and create conditions for broader negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
As President Trump celebrates his 80th birthday, his administration is pushing to secure what could become one of the most significant diplomatic agreements in the Middle East in recent years, even as regional tensions continue to test the fragile peace effort.