- Odibo Victory
The United States and Iran have on Wednesday released the text of an interim agreement signed by their presidents to end the war between both countries.
However, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that they would resume attacks and target Iranian officials if Tehran failed to honour its commitments under the deal.
Speaking during the G7 summit in France, Trump said: “We’re going to bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement.
“I don’t want them to. I want them to honour the agreement.”
Earlier, the U.S. president had issued a similar warning, saying: “If I don’t like it, if they don’t behave, we’ll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head, OK?”
Despite the threat, Trump described Iranians as “smart people” and expressed hope that negotiations over the next 60 days would produce a permanent truce capable of bringing stability to the Middle East and lowering global oil prices.
Meanwhile, Iranian leaders refrained from responding to Trump’s latest remarks and instead celebrated what is believed to be the first agreement signed by both a U.S. and Iranian president since the Islamic Republic was established in 1979.
Iran’s lead negotiator, Mohammad Qalibaf, hailed the deal as a diplomatic success.
“Everything we sought to achieve through military action, we obtained several times over through negotiation; it was not even comparable,” Qalibaf told state television.
The agreement extends a ceasefire announced in April by another 60 days, including in Lebanon, to allow both sides negotiate a permanent settlement.
Officials from both countries said Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian digitally signed the memorandum in English and Farsi, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement took effect immediately on Wednesday.
The memorandum provides for an immediate end to hostilities, including in Lebanon, the full resumption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran, the unfreezing of Iranian assets and the creation of a $300 billion reconstruction fund.
Iran also reaffirmed its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons and agreed to the supervised down-blending of its enriched uranium stockpile under the International Atomic Energy Agency.
However, Trump appeared to soften his earlier position on Iran’s missile programme.
“I’m saying that if other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some,” Trump told reporters in Paris after leaving the summit.
The U.S. president had previously vowed to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities and “raze their missile industry to the ground.”
G7 leaders welcomed the agreement and called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, where hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have continued despite the truce provisions contained in the memorandum.
Trump also addressed his differences with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.
“Netanyahu happens to be a good man, gets a little excited sometimes,” Trump said.
“We have a little dispute over Lebanon. 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.”