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A White House official said Trump’s Iran deal does not include Israel’s conditional withdrawal from Lebanon amid its conflict with Hezbollah
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Donald Trump has warned that “all hell will rain down” on Iran if the regime does try to obtain nuclear weapons, as both sides prepare to sign a framework agreement to end the war this week.
“They’re not going to acquire a nuclear weapon. If they do, all hell will rain down on them,” Trump reassured in comments to reports at the G7 summit in France, as leaders discuss next steps on the conflict.
He said the preliminary deal as it stands “says it loud and clear: they’re not going to develop it … and if they do, they suffer unbelievable consequences”.
The US president went on to criticise Israel’s conduct in Lebanon amid mounting concerns that continued attacks could derail the peace process.
“Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long and too many people are being killed. And you don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody. Because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses. And they’re not all Hezbollah, I can tell you.”
Trump added that he has a “great relationship” with Israel’s Netanyahu, but that he “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon”.
Hezbollah says in a statement that they have received promises from Iran that Tehran will not sign a final nuclear deal with the United States unless Israel withdraws from Lebanon.
Donald Trump announced a framework deal to end the war with Iran on Sunday, potentially ending weeks of drawn-out speculation.
The focal text is yet to be published, with JD Vance suggesting on Monday a version could be seen this week. But even without a deal to consider, obstacles were already starting to emerge.
1. Iran and the US have notably only agreed on a memorandum of understanding which would pave the way for more talks on sensitive issues like Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief. Those issues have proven thorny for years; under the current arrangement, the US and Iran would have just 60 days to reach consensus.
2. Iran and mediator Pakistan said that the US and Iran had agreed to end the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon where Israel’s military continues to operate. But Israel, not a party to the talks, insisted on Monday it would continue operating in the south. At least one person was reported to have been killed.
3. The preliminary agreement aims to end all fighting in the region and lift the dual US/Iranian blockades around the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said this could begin on Friday, but analysts say it could take weeks to return to normal traffic volumes. Trump has acknowledged there are still mines to clear, and shipping leaders say they will not rush into action ‘given the experiences in the last couple of months’.
4. While Donald Trump insisted the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened ‘toll free’, Iranian state media reported that traffic would henceforth be regulated by Iran and Oman. Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday it could charge ‘maritime fees’ for passage through the Strait.
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf will be present for the signing of the interim agreement to end the war, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said on Tuesday, according to Tasnim news agency.
Majid Takht-Ravanchi said it remained unclear where exactly the signing would take place and in what format it would be conducted.
Donald Trump said on Monday that Vice President JD Vance would attend the formal signing ceremony in Geneva.
Iran’s state TV reports that three Iranian tankers and two vessels carrying essential goods are now sailing towards Iranian ports from the Indian ocean.
The US said it would lift its blockade on Iranian ports as part of the framework deal to end the war.
Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz could take weeks to resume, the world’s largest tanker operator has said, despite Donald Trump’s insistence the vital waterway is already “partially opened” to traffic.
Jotaro Tamura, CEO of Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines, told the FT that it was not enough for shipping companies to see a “simple agreement between the relevant companies” to resume shipping and assuage down global energy prices.
“Given the experiences in the last couple of months, I think it’s reasonable to assume that it may take at least a couple of weeks or if not a month,” Tamura said, before Trump announced a preliminary arrangement with Iran.
The framework deal between the US and Iran was already under pressure on Monday as Israel suggested it would stay in Lebanon despite the reported agreement stipulating the conflict would be ended on all fronts.
Trump was in France on Tuesday for the second day of the G7 summit with the leaders of France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan. Meetings will focus on ending the Middle East crisis, and security for Europe.
In comments to reporters at the G7 conference today, Donald Trump attacked Israel’s record on Lebanon and warned the issue could undermine his efforts to end the war with Iran.
“Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long and too many people are being killed,” he said.
“And you don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody. Because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses. And they’re not all Hezbollah, I can tell you.”
Trump said he was “not happy” with how Israel “has handled themselves” with regard to Lebanon and Hezbollah.
“They should have been able to do the job faster. It just goes on forever. And when that happens, it throws a negative light on the big deal, and that’s the deal with Iran.”
Trump suggested Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa would be able to better lead the fight against Hezbollah.
“I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah. Because to be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job of doing it.”
Sharaa, he said, has “protected everything that I’ve asked for”.
“And if Israel can’t do the job without killing everyone else, he’ll do the job. Syria will do the job.”
Trump said that while he has a “great relationship” with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, he “has to be more responsible” on Lebanon.
As Donald Trump crows about peace in the region, ominous signs are coming from Israel and Hezbollah, writes chief international correspondent Bel Trew:
Donald Trump told reporters at the G7 summit on Tuesday that he has a “great relationship” with Israel’s Netanyahu, but that he “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon”.
“I didn’t like that he did an attack … that was too much,” he said, after Israel struck Beirut over the weekend, straining the nascent framework for a deal to end the war.
“Without the US, there would be no Israel … because no other president was willing to do what I did,” he said.
Trump assessed that Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for “too long” and suggested the conflict with the Iran-backed group should be left to Syria to deal with.
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