US President Donald Trump Signs Historic IRAN DEAL While Defending Amidst Criticism.

Washington DC; June 2026: US President Donald Trump today (18th June 2026) early morning (IST) has defended a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that ends the war with Iran, even as he suggested it may not be “permanent” during a press conference from the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. The United States President has further reiterated other G7 members backed the end of the war, arguing it was time for the conflict to end, while emphasising that the war needed to end because of dangers to the global oil supply, even as he suggested new military action could take place against Iran.

The deal sets up a 60-day period of new negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, the issue that triggered US and Israel attacks on Iran earlier this year.

The MOU Is Not Sacrosanct –

Trump played down the permanence of the preliminary agreement during the news conference, saying it will fall apart if Iran does not honour its terms. “If they don’t honor the agreement, or some things aren’t even mentioned in the agreement, it’s a memorandum of understanding, but we have an understanding of certain things without writing it”, Trump told reporters.

“If they don’t honor that, we’ll probably go back to bombing them until they honor it,” he continued, adding, “it’s amazing what bombs can do”. Trump’s comments echoed ones he made earlier in the day on Wednesday (17th June) in which he threatened to bomb Iran “if they don’t behave”.

Trump Advocates G7 Support For Ending War, Dismisses Violation Of International Law –

At the G7 summit, leaders have expressed their support for the deal in individual statements and a joint communique. Many appeared to be relieved that the MOU would lead to a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil supply flows. European powers and Japan alike have been hit hard by higher energy prices as a result of the closure.

Trump lauded the statements, arguing they reflected the value of the deal that was negotiated. “They have all put out statements saying they love this deal because they want to see it, and they love the fact that the Hormuz. Don’t forget that if we were going to drop bombs, could have been another three months, what do you have left, maybe nothing? But the strait would have never been opened”.

A Shift In Stance; US Allows Iran Maintain Its Missile Arsenal –

The US President has defended in allowing Iran have its arsenal of ballistic missiles, saying it will be one of the issues not related to Iran’s nuclear program that the US will work on with Persian Gulf allies, while further suggesting it would have been impossible to forbid Iran from having the missiles, which is a serious worry for Israel, when Iran’s rivals like Israel and Saudi Arabia have them.

“I mean, they have to have some, because other people have some. You got to have some” Trump told reporters today after signing the MOU. “I like some of these friends, but I don’t think they’re smart. As some of them had flagged concern – ‘Sir, you shouldn’t let them have any missile’”, Trump spoke of unnamed advisers. “I said, ‘well, what am I going to do? Am I going to let Saudi Arabia have missiles. It doesn’t work that way, you know, it doesn’t work that way, and missiles aren’t the problem”, Trump said, adding that missiles “hurt a little location, but they don’t blow up the planet”.

On the otherside, the Iranian leadership has said that changes to its missile program were one of the red lines during diplomatic talks regarding the potential peace deal. Iran used its program to fire upon Israel and US bases in the Persian Gulf. “We knocked out probably 84%-85% of their missiles. The rest of them are underground; they can’t even get them out, you know”, the US President responded he was asked why it is acceptable for Iran to keep some of that capability.

US President Sidelines Disputes With Israeli Prime Minister –

US President Trump was more reserved in his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the two as having a “dispute” over the threat posed by Hezbollah in Lebanon and advising the Israeli leader to hold back strikes against the US-designated terror group (Hezbollah) if their strikes avoid killing Israelis or causing significant damage.

Iran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a priority in the MOU, occupying the first paragraph of the agreement. “We have a little dispute over Lebanon”, Trump said, referring to Netanyahu. “I say you can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don’t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that’s from Hezbollah”, the President continued.

“I’m not saying they shouldn’t protect themselves. I’m saying when two drones are shot into the desert and drop harmlessly, you don’t have to knock down buildings in Beirut”. Trump’s criticism against Netanyahu struck a softer tone compared with earlier in the week, when he lashed out at the Israeli leader in a profanity-laced tirade.

It is noteworthy that the final MoU is basically unchanged from the version provided to media houses on (Tuesday – June 16th), except for text changes in clauses one and five that Iran reportedly requested.

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Fars News reported on June 15 that Iran had earlier secured important changes to the draft MoU. These changes included the addition of the phrase “guaranteeing sovereignty and respect for the territorial integrity of Lebanon” to the first clause, references to a joint Iranian-Omani maritime services administration in the Strait of Hormuz to the fifth clause, and an addition that the MoU would bar fee collection in the strait for 60 days, also in the fifth clause. All three of these changes are reflected in the version briefed to media houses.

Clause 1: “The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war by signing this MoU declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph”.

Clause 5: “Upon the signing of this MoU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and demining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz”.

Iran is also boastful of using potential, early economic benefits that the country would receive under the MoU to argue that Iran secured tangible and irreversible benefits without abandoning its core demands. As per official sources of the Islamic Development Organization (IDO that the MoU gives Iran “cash” benefits, including access to part of its frozen assets, a suspension of oil sanctions, and free access to oil revenue. Iran could earn up to $10 billion USD from 60 days of oil sales and that Iran’s total revenue during this period could exceed $30 billion USD. This messaging suggests that the regime may be using ambiguity over Lebanon and the Strait, alongside early economic benefits, to frame the MoU as a victory and manage domestic criticism.

Team Maverick.