‘Without me, there would be no Israel,’ Netanyahu ‘has to be more responsible’ with Lebanon, Trump says at G7

The U.S. president told reporters that he intends to read his agreement with the Iranian regime “word by word” publicly to set the record straight.

Amid extensive controversy and speculation about the contents of a memorandum of understanding with the Iranian regime, which U.S. President Donald Trump announced without providing much detail, the president said on Tuesday that he is likely to hold a press conference and read the “word by word, so that the press covers it accurately.” “We just signed a deal with Iran,” he told reporters at the G7 summit in France during a meeting with United Arab Emirates President Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “Ships are starting to move now,” he said. “Oil is starting to go up, and prices are coming down rapidly.”

“Most importantly, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he claimed. The president was asked why he might wait until Friday to release the text of the agreement. “I would like to get a formal setting first,” he said. “I will go over the document with the media in a couple of days.” Trump said that he “never cared about regime change.” “But I guess you have regime change,” he said, of Iran. “The first group—they are all dead. The second group—-they are dead. A part of the third group is gone, and we are dealing with people I think are rational people.”

“I think smarter than the first and second group. They are not radicalized and looking to help their country,” he said. “I have watched regime change for years. They never worked.” Experts refuted that assertion. “If the current Iranian regime leadership wasn’t radicalized, they would never be in the positions they hold today,” stated Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran. “These individuals were all tested and trusted by the late Ali Khamenei, promoted by him and have marinated for years in the Islamic Republic’s ideology,” he stated. “There’s literally an Interpol red notice out for the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”

At the press conference, Trump was asked about Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump called the terror organization “that little pin prick out there that constantly rears its head.” He said that he wasn’t pleased with Israel for conducting a strike against Hezbollah a few hours before the agreement was signed. “If Israel can’t do the job without killing everyone else,” Syria would take on the task, he said. “Without the United States, there would be no Israel,” Trump said. “Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did. I have had a great relationship with Bibi. Now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.” Trump also praised the Emirati President Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for being “early” to enter the Abraham Accords. (Read More)

Iran has fired drones at commercial ships in Hormuz strait since MoU's signing, source tells 'Post'

Iran has fired multiple drones toward commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz since the signing of the US-Iranmemorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sunday, a source told The Jerusalem Post. The source added that all of the drones had been intercepted by the US military before they pose a threat to commercial or US military ships and personnel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is launching the drones, a US official told NBC, adding that the US military continues to coordinate with shipping companies to support ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that a peace deal between the US and Iran has been completed in a post on Truth Social on Sunday. “I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade,” Trump stated.

In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Trump clarified that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened to allow the transit of commercial vessels on Friday after the agreement is signed. (Source)

US denied Israel's request to view Iran deal prior to signing ceremony, source tells 'Post'

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he would read the deal "word for word," though he did not specify when.

The United States denied Israel's request to view the newly agreed-upon Memorandum of Understanding before the signing ceremony, expected to be held in Switzerland later this week, a source confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he would read the deal "word for word," though he did not specify when. As of now, the details of the deal have not been published, which reportedly has 14 separate clauses, including the withdrawal of the IDF from southern Lebanon, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and releasing some $24 billion dollars in sanctioned funds.

Despite Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's announcement that the peace deal includes Lebanon, Israeli officials have not confirmed if the IDF will pull back from the area. On Monday, an IDF source confirmed to the Post that if Hezbollah respects the ceasefire, there will be no attacks anywhere in Lebanon. Separately, Hezbollah on Tuesday told Reuters it received assurances from Iran that it would demand a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon in its next phase of talks with the United States. The group told Reuters that there would be "no nuclear deal between Iran and the United States unless the Israelis withdraw" from Lebanon. (Ed note: Now why wouldn't the US let Israel see the MoU now? Was President Trump afraid Israel would see their part about being cast under the bus?)    (Source)

Major Escalation: Tehran Issues Aggressive Warnings Just Hours After Reaching United States Accord

Sovereign authorities in Tehran have rapidly revived their aggressive rhetoric merely twenty four hours after finalizing a comprehensive interim accord with Washington, vowing a decisive military response to any structural deviations from the treaty.

The diplomatic optimism surrounding the newly formulated memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran has been sharply undermined by a sequence of aggressive military warnings issued by senior legislative and defense figures within the Islamic Republic. Merely one day after global negotiators finalized the preliminary terms of the sweeping international accord, prominent political executives in Iran have publicly shifted their posture back toward severe geopolitical intimidation. The aggressive declarations, broadcast across regional networks on Tuesday evening, targeted the upcoming formal signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Switzerland this Friday, sending a clear signal to Western defense planners that the clerical regime views the pact as an administrative vehicle to assert strategic dominance over its international adversaries.

The opening salvo of this renewed rhetorical campaign was executed by the head of the National Security Committee in the Iranian Parliament, Ebrahim Azizi, who utilized prominent public communications networks to outline Tehran's rigid expectations for American compliance. The senior legislative official asserted that the current framework materialized strictly because Western resolve crumbled under domestic pressure, forcing international intermediaries to accept the core security demands dictated by the Ayatollah regime. Azizi explicitly declared that Iranian resilience led to a strategic change of direction, when the United States arrived at the negotiation table on Iran's terms, further instructing that now, Washington must prove its commitment by ending the war in Lebanon and complying with every section of the memorandum of understanding.

The parliamentary security chief issued an explicit ultimatum regarding any potential adjustments or enforcement mechanisms introduced by Western diplomats during the upcoming sixty day implementation phase, warning that the regional balance of power has fundamentally changed. Azizi threatened that any violation of the agreement will be met with a firm and decisive response, while forcefully adding that the era of unilateral demands and the imposition of conditions against Iran has ended. This unyielding stance indicates that the clerical leadership intends to utilize the interim period to aggressively restrict Western diplomatic maneuvers, framing any subsequent defensive oversight or compliance inquiries as a direct breach of the foundational treaty text. (Read More)

Iran accuses Israel of '84 violations,' threatens harsh response

The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters claims that Israel is continuing military activity in southern Lebanon and warns of a response from the Iranian armed forces.

Iran escalated its threats against Israel this evening (Tuesday), accusing it of violating the ceasefire in southern Lebanon “84 times over the past two days." The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, the operational headquarters of Iran's military forces, issued a statement claiming that Israel has violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon dozens of times since the American announcement declaring the end of the war.

The Iranian statement claimed: “The army of the terrorist Zionist entity has violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon 84 times over the past two days, after the American president announced the end of the war, and it continues to commit crimes and massacres against the oppressed Lebanese people." It further stated: “If the army of the Zionist entity does not cease its actions in southern Lebanon, it should expect a harsh response from the powerful Iranian armed forces."

The threat comes after the IDF reported earlier today that the Israeli Air Force intercepted several rockets launched by Hezbollah toward the area where IDF forces are operating in southern Lebanon, and later struck and destroyed the launcher from which some of the rockets had been fired. Israeli officials assess that behind the Iranian statements is an attempt to pressure the American administration into demanding that Israel reduce its activity in southern Lebanon and even advance a withdrawal of forces from the area.

The tensions surrounding the Lebanese front come alongside diplomatic contacts between the United States and Iran and the continued discussions regarding the understandings reached between the sides. (Ed note: 84 violations? And how many rockets and drones has the terrorist Hezbollah fired into northern Israel? Iran is once again working the Deal Maker. Let's see who wins this one.) (Source)

The Secret Tripartite Friction: Why Damascus Rejects Donald Trump's Grand Strategy to Crush Hezbollah

Syrian President Ahmad al Shara has forcefully rejected a public proposal by US President Donald Trump to militarily intervene against Hezbollah in Lebanon, citing severe fears of losing political credibility across the Arab world and appearing as a strategic protector of Israel.

The sweeping diplomatic architecture currently being formulated by the United States to stabilize the Levant has faced a major structural setback following a decisive policy rejection from the newly established leadership in Damascus. According to comprehensive political dispatches broadcast by Kan News on Tuesday evening, Syrian President Ahmad al Shara has flatly dismissed a highly publicized strategic proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump to utilize Syria's reconstituted armed forces to dismantle Hezbollah inside Lebanon. High level intelligence sources closely embedded within the sovereign decision making apparatus in Damascus reveal that the new leadership is prioritizing its fragile diplomatic status among neighboring Arab states, refusing to deploy its forces in any capacity that could be perceived as serving Western or Israeli security interests.

The definitive insider reporting clarifies that the Syrian president harbors profound concerns that any direct military intervention against the Shiite organization would destroy his administration's political standing, making him appear as if he is taking action strictly to protect Israel, an outcome that would erode his carefully managed credibility within regional Arab coalitions. A prominent Syrian political official familiar with the internal governing mindset explicitly stated that there is no feasibility for a Syrian military intervention against Hezbollah in Lebanon without Israel responding to Syria's demands, adding that the absolute foremost of these requirements is a complete and total withdrawal from the geographic sectors occupied by the Israel Defense Forces in southern Syria following the definitive collapse of the Bashar al Assad regime.

This diplomatic cooling comes directly after President Trump publicly asserted that al Shara's Syria would handle Hezbollah instead of Israel, a strategic concept that has been quietly circulated by White House planners over the past several months as a potential alternative to indefinite Israeli border deployments. Al Shara himself has personally moved to temper these international expectations, issuing public statements confirming that Syria will not engage in any foreign military adventures inside Lebanese territory, and that current Syrian defensive efforts are focusing strictly on securing a more hermetic seal along the immediate international border while systematically neutralizing cross border weapon smuggling rings. This isolationist posture was heavily reinforced by regional intelligence partners, with recent diplomatic logs revealing that Turkish political advisers explicitly instructed al Shara to avoid any military entanglement against Hezbollah in Lebanon out of intense fear that such a campaign would ultimately strengthen Israel's geopolitical leverage. (Ed note: Did you notice how fast President al Shara stepped up to say no to President Trump? Such an effort would help Israel, and that's just not going to happen. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)    (Read More)

Iran’s military command warns it will respond if Israel keeps up southern Lebanon offensive

Iran’s Top Joint Military Command, ​Khatam al-Anbiya Central ‌Headquarters, says that Israel should expect a hard response from the Iranian armed forces if it does not stop its attacks on southern Lebanon, days after Tehran and Washington announced a deal to end the regional war.

Tehran has insisted that the memorandum of understanding requires Israel to halt its offensive against Hezbollah — a claim that both Jerusalem and Washington have disputed.  (Source)

Trump on Lebanon: 'If Israel can't do the job without killing everyone, Syria should do it'

"If Israel can't do the job without killing everyone else, Syria should do the job," said US President Donald Trumpin a bilateral meeting with the Emir of the State of Qatar on Tuesday. Trump says he considers the Lebanon war a minor one, and an arena in which Syria can take on Hezbollah in partnership with the United States if Israel under Netanyahu cannot be reigned in.

"Israel's fighting Hezbollah for too long, and too many people are being killed. You don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody because there's a lot of people in those apartment houses and they're not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you," the president said. "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."

Trump then praised the President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying, "he has pulled that country together very quickly, he's very capable, and he's very good for me. He's protected everything that I've asked for." When asked if he was frustrated with Netanyahu, he responded, "No, we have a great relationship." The president continued, saying, "I didn't like that he did an attack [over] a very minor little thing with some drones. I saw that attack, I saw where that bomb went. That was a vicious... that was too much. You can do too much also. But we've had a very effective relationship.

"Without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel - because no other president was willing to do what I did. I had a great relationship with Bibi, but now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon."  (Ed note: Comments anyone?)     (Source)

Dr. Bill Salus comments:

“Trump says he considers the Lebanon war a minor one, and an arena in which Syria can take on Hezbollah in partnership with the United States if Israel under Netanyahu cannot be reigned in. "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."

Trump then praised Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying, "he has pulled that country together very quickly, he's very capable, and he's very good for me. He's protected everything that I've asked for." (Jerusalem Post (JP) – 6/16/26)

              Trump believes the terrorist in a suit Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who had no part in the Iran war and essentially has no significant national army, can do a better job of dismantling and disarming Hezbollah than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who led his country as America’s only ally in the Iran war.

              Hezbollah has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US state department since 1997 and Israel has been doing a masterful job of decapitating these terrorists and their leaders since October 8, 2023. However because Ahmed al-Sharaa, “He’s very good for me (Trump). He's protected everything that I've asked for,” and Netanyahu is not following Trump’s marching orders, Trump is betraying Netanyahu and Israel.

              Syria has been at war with Israel since 1948 and is calling for Israel to withdraw from former Syrian territory seized when Sharaa took control, as well as return the Golan Heights to Syria, which in 2019 Trump recognized as Israeli territory. Will Iran’s peace deal condition on Lebanon influence Trump to reverse his decision about Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights?

Iran says permanent end to war in Lebanon is inseparable from US peace deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declares that an immediate end to the war and Israeli occupation in Lebanon is an inseparable component of the newly minted US-Iran memorandum.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that halting the war across all fronts, including Lebanon, is “the most important” component of the newly announced peace deal with the United States. Speaking to foreign diplomats, Araghchi emphasised that the memorandum involves two primary sides: the United States and Israel on one hand, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other. Araghchi declared that the memorandum calls for an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts. He stressed that stopping the conflict in Lebanon is an inseparable part of achieving a complete cessation of hostilities.

"The important point I want to emphasise here is that in our view, there are two parties to this memorandum -- one side is America and Israel, and the other side is Iran and Hezbollah," said Araghchi during a briefing with foreign diplomats broadcast on state television and as quoted by news agency AFP. Furthermore, he noted that the war would not truly end without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories occupied during the conflict. According to Araghchi, any subsequent military attacks by Israel on Lebanon or the continued occupation of Lebanese lands will be viewed by Iran as a violation of the agreement.

The remarks followed the announcement of a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington aimed at halting the West Asia conflict, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Lebanon entered the conflict in early March after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, triggering Israeli strikes and a ground invasion. (Read More)

BREAKING: Trump May Fire Hegseth and Ratcliffe for Opposing Iran Deal

CIA Director Ratcliffe warned Trump that U.S. intelligence doubts Iran's intentions. Now Trump is reportedly considering firing him and Defense Secretary Hegseth for opposing the MOU.

President Donald Trump is considering firing War Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John

Ratcliffe over their internal opposition to the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran, a senior U.S. official told Israel Hayom, in what would represent a dramatic purge of two of his most senior national security officials. The possible firings reflect a deepening fault line inside the Trump administration over the Iran deal, one that pits the president's own intelligence and defense chiefs against the diplomatic team that negotiated the agreement.

According to Axios, which independently confirmed the internal divisions, Ratcliffe told Trump and senior officials that intelligence gathered by U.S. agencies raised serious doubts about Iran's willingness to make the nuclear concessions Washington is seeking in any final deal. The intelligence showed that Iranian officials were discussing the agreement among themselves in ways that were inconsistent with what they were telling American mediators, a red flag that, according to sources, Ratcliffe described in stark terms to the president.

Ratcliffe was not alone. Hegseth also raised concerns and questions about the MOU in internal meetings, as did Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.On the other side of the table: Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, all of whom advocated for the deal. According to the Israel Hayom report, Vance has developed particularly close ties with Qatar's leadership, and Gulf state pressure, led by Doha, has been a significant factor pushing the negotiations forward. (Ed note: This is unusual. Most of the time, President Trump lets his people have their say in matters.) (Read More)

Hezbollah praises Iran deal, urges Beirut to help confront ‘Israeli enemy’

Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization on Monday praised the Islamic Republic for completing the peace agreement with the United States. In a statement carried by Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar daily, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, the terror group celebrated the deal as a “great achievement,” calling it “the fruit of the legendary steadfastness, exollah, in the statement, offered a “salute and appreciation” to the Iranian leadership for what it described as Tehran’s “steadfast support for Lebanon, its people and its resistance, and for their insistence that Lebanon be included in any understanding that leads to an end to the war and safeguards its rights.”

“They endured the burdens of the siege and aggression, once again proving that the Islamic Republic is indeed a true supporter and a strong, loyal ally,” it continued. The Hezbollah statement also hailed “all the countries that participated, contributed, assisted and supported efforts to remove obstacles in order to bring about this agreement.” Turning to the Lebanese government, the terror group called on Beirut’s official government “to return to a unified national position in order to achieve the goals on which the Lebanese agree” and confront “the ambitions of the Israeli enemy.” “It is wise to review all the calculations and paths pursued by the authorities,” Hezbollah warned, “and to acknowledge that a unified Lebanese position and reliance on true friends are the best means of safeguarding national interests.”

The Jewish state “must understand that there can be no return to the situation that existed before March 2, and that the resistance—which has always been and remains the vigilant guardian protecting the homeland and its people—will not accept any aggression that violates its nation’s sovereignty and the blood of its people,” it stated. The Iranian terrorist army vowed to continue fighting the Israel Defense Forces “until full withdrawal is achieved and the prisoners are returned.” Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks on Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28. (Read More)

Amid US-Iran deal, IDF says Hezbollah continues attacking troops in south Lebanon

Beirut says 1 dead in Israeli strike on car; no injuries reported after terror group fires anti-tank missile and mortars at Israeli soldiers; UNIFIL observes decrease in violence, says UN.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon eased but did not halt entirely on Monday after the US signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, as Israeli leaders vowed that the agreement did not prevent it from continuing to operate in south Lebanon. The IDF said Monday evening that Hezbollah had fired several rockets at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, one of several attacks carried out by the terror group throughout the day. The IDF also confirmed striking Hezbollah operatives who “posed a threat” to forces in southern Lebanon on Monday.

According to the military, the rockets fired at Israeli forces were intercepted by air defenses. No sirens sounded in any towns in Israel. Additionally, Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile and several mortars at troops in southern Lebanon, in several separate attacks Monday, with no injuries caused, the IDF said.

Also, in four separate incidents throughout Monday, the IDF said, troops spotted “several terrorists traveling in vehicles and approaching IDF soldiers, in a manner that posed an immediate threat to them.” The Israeli Air Force then struck “all of the threats in a precise manner,” the military added Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that a car was targeted in Kfar Tebnit, resulting in the death of the driver. (Read More)

Ben Gvir to Arutz Sheva: Israel must operate in Lebanon even against Trump's wishes

Responding to a question from Arutz Sheva-Israel National News during a faction meeting, Itamar Ben Gvir asserts that the demolition of infrastructure in Lebanon must continue, even if it runs counter to the stance of the US administration.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Monday called for Israeli operations in southern Lebanon to continue even in the event of a dispute with the United States, emphasizing that Israel's first and foremost commitment is to its own security. Responding to a question from Arutz Sheva-Israel National News during a press briefing at his faction meeting, Ben Gvir stated, "We are an independent country, and we cannot stop demolishing houses in southern Lebanon."

He urged the government "to continue acting even against the position of the United States," adding, "We cannot stop preventing the population in southern Lebanon from returning. It endangers our soldiers; it endangers our residents. We must not allow them to return to the borders, to return to the status quo before October 7." Ben Gvir added that Israel must maintain its hold on the territory even if it conflicts with the position of the US administration. "We must retain control of the territory, even against the wishes of President Trump," he said.

Ben Gvir continued, "Faced with existential threats, we must not act out of external pressure, but rather out of our national conscience. Just as an individual is obligated to do whatever it takes to defend their home, the State of Israel is obligated to do what Israel must do. "History teaches us a painful lesson: every time we chose the path of containment, deferred a decisive outcome, or relied on a false quiet, we paid the heaviest price. Let me be unequivocally clear: the era of endless rounds of fighting is over. Not in Gaza, not in Lebanon, and not against Iran. I demand that the Prime Minister allow IDF soldiers to continue the critical work of demolishing homes, eliminating Hezbollah terrorists, and keeping residents away from their houses - we must not operate according to understandings reached between Trump and Khamenei," Ben Gvir added. (Read More)

Gulf states could be left in the lurch and exposed by the US-Iran deal

After being caught in the crossfire of a war they didn’t want, wealthy Arab states are now ‘subjected to what amounts to blackmail’ from both Iran and the US, experts say.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — After bearing the brunt of Iran’s attacks in a war they never wanted, the US-Iran deal has left Gulf states feeling exposed to proxies and missiles and frustrated with an unreliable US ally, analysts said. Tehran’s aerial salvoes and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have posed an existential threat to the Gulf countries and their economic model. The memorandum of understanding due to be signed this week will not permanently end the war. It buys negotiators another 60 days, extending a state of uncertainty that is bad for business.

The agreement shies away from key Gulf security concerns, forcing countries in the region to seek their own channels with Iran to protect their interests as they face an emboldened neighbor while US President Donald Trump is eager to end the war quickly, experts have said. Everything suggests that the memorandum “will almost certainly fail to address the Gulf states’ core security concerns over Iran’s offensive military capabilities, notably its missiles, drones, and regional militia networks,” said Hasan Alhasan of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Gulf leaders have long had close ties to Trump. They showered him with praise, pledged to invest billions in the American economy, and courted his entourage. But as the US security umbrella faltered, they were “left to fend for themselves,” according to Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London. When Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, Gulf states supported that move. They had long complained the deal failed to involve them and address Iran’s missile program and proxies. (Read More)

Iran's greatest nuclear deception

For months, Iran dragged out the talks, delayed responses, modified positions, and repeatedly postponed decisions. The conventional explanation was that Tehran was bargaining for a better deal. Perhaps it was. But there may be another explanation. Iran may have been buying time to prepare a deception. Suppose that Iran's objective was to remove enriched uranium from its known locations before any agreement was signed. Such an operation would require planning, transportation, concealment, and coordination. Time would be essential.

Viewed through that lens, the subsequent burial or inaccessibility of the original site takes on a different meaning. The visible destruction attracts attention, while the more important question remains unanswered: Was the uranium still there when the site became inaccessible? If the material had already been removed, the deception becomes remarkably simple. First, move the uranium. Second, make the original site inaccessible so inspectors cannot verify whether the uranium is still there. Third, convince the world that the uranium remains at that location, so nobody looks for it anywhere else. The result is predictable. Scrutiny declines. Pressure declines. The search stops.

Meanwhile, the uranium remains hidden, inspectors are looking in the wrong place-if they are looking at all-and the nuclear program can continue out of sight. This is the magician's trick. The objective is not to hide the uranium. The objective is to hide its absence. But there may be a second layer to the strategy. While negotiations were dragging on, Hezbollah continued violating the ceasefire and attacking Israel. Every such attack increased the probability of an Israeli response. Tehran understands this perfectly. Once Israel retaliates, attention shifts. Instead of discussing Iranian conduct, the discussion becomes focused on Israeli conduct. Iran gains additional time, additional diplomatic cover, and another reason to delay.

More importantly, Israel becomes the obstacle to peace in the public narrative. An eager American administration seeking an agreement may then find itself blaming Israel for standing between diplomacy and stability rather than blaming Iran for creating the crisis in the first place. This raises a troubling question. If retaliation is considered legitimate when American forces or interests are attacked, why is Israeli retaliation treated differently when Hezbollah attacks Israeli civilians and communities? The principle should be the same. The party that initiates the aggression should bear responsibility for the consequences. Instead, the burden increasingly falls on the party responding to the aggression. (Read More)

"The nuclear issue, they did not deal with it. Regime change, obviously not. Missiles, obviously not. The proxies, obviously not. They are not included in the agreement," Vilan said.

It's too early to know what will come out of the agreement between the US and Iran, said Avner Vilan, a former senior security official and expert on Iran's nuclear program, on Monday. "Will we see tricks and gimmicks?" he asked, "The Iranians have no problem lying." "The nuclear issue, let's see what is included in the final agreement. I think we will be surprised, with an asterisk. For that matter, there is a draft that was published yesterday by the Iranians. The draft says that Iran will completely stop its enrichment."

"I have not yet seen this draft agreement; there have been many leaks, but we need to see what is written there. If what was published is what they actually signed, then this agreement is basically a general statement of intent in exchange for immediate relief from pressure," Vilan explained." Opening the Strait of Hormuz in both directions, a halt to the fighting, and then there will be a mechanism through which the Iranians will start receiving money, sanctions will be lifted, they will start giving up their nuclear project," he said.

Vilan then spoke about what the Iranians would receive immediately after signing the agreement: 'The immediate money they will get is the lifting of sanctions on oil exports. Iran has not exported oil since the start of the war, and that is a significant loss for them. Exports become legal, and sanctions on Iran will be removed. "What exactly does that mean? The devil is going to be in the details, and those details are being dodged right now," Vilan warned. He then explained that certain key and complex issueswould need more attention than this draft agreement seemed to provide. (Read More)

THE TELEGRAPH: Trump is turning victory in Iran into an American humiliation

What was the point? On the upside, Iran has sustained the mother of all military and economic batterings. On the downside, it appears to be rapidly rebuilding its strength. And under the terms of a new "peace" deal, will it soon be aided by many billions of dollars of sanctions relief from the very president who condemned Barack Obama for doing just that? Before the war, America's deterrent was fearsome; Donald Trump was able to press Hamas into a hostage deal in Gaza with apocalyptic rhetoric alone. Who will take him seriously now? We were told "a whole civilisation would die", but with Trump at the helm, it is Western civilisation that finds itself in decline.

On February 28, the mightiest military power in history was mobilised against the evillest regime on Earth. Four months later, we have no answer to the nuclear question; no containment of Iran's proxies; no curbs on its ballistic missiles; no guarantees on Hormuz; no regime change in Tehran. This is not just a humiliation for Washington but, with China and Russia taking notes, an extremely dangerous one. The buck stops with Trump. There was a plan, we now know, to unleash Kurdish fighters from Iraq, which – despite concerns about their allegiances, numbers and effectiveness, not to mention the effect on Arab neighbours – may have made the difference.

Yet, reportedly after lobbying from Turkey's dangerous Islamist leader, the president cancelled it, leaving his weapon to go off half-cocked. He also ignored Israeli advice to continue strikes during the talks, needlessly handing the enemy breathing space. Then there was Hormuz. According to Elliott Abrams, formerly Trump's envoy on both Iran and Venezuela, whom I recently interviewed on The Brink, the president ignored his military experts and ran the war based on his gut. Thus he ignored the central concern of wargames since time immemorial and, well, hoped for the best. He got the worst. But who cares, right? He has staged a UFC fight on the White House lawn. The mullahs must be loving it.

Not only did Trump apparently disdain his advisors, he disdained his allies, too. Europe, which already jumps at its own shadow, was not brought on board – the Ayatollah's London office remains open and his ambassador in place – the Gulf states were riven with disunity and Turkey and Pakistan were handed outsized influence. This was not leadership. It was incompetence. Worst of all, those with the most to lose were the most severely betrayed. Most poignantly, the Iranian people. In January, Trump posted "Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! ... HELP IS ON ITS WAY". Some might well have sacrificed their lives in response. Yesterday, the president remarked that he "never cared about regime change". Thanks for that.

Secondly, Israel. The Jewish state has suffered greatly from the pernicious narrative that Benjamin Netanyahu led Trump into this war by the nose. The Iranian regime has masterfully exploited this.
At the most sensitive moments in the talks, their proxy, Hezbollah, has provoked Israel into military responses, infuriating the gullible Trump, who has lambasted Netanyahu as a "difficult guy" who has "no f---ing judgment". Tehran is driving a wedge between the allies and the president can't see it. So they continue. Overnight, Hezbollah fired on Israeli civilians. How will Trump react when Jerusalem retaliates? Increasingly, by pinning the blame on Bibi and taking the side of Iran. (Source)

'We are all shocked’ by deal, worry that regime will feel it ‘won,' Iranian source tells 'Post'

Iranians who oppose the regime are “shocked” by the emerging details of an agreement between the US and Iran, an Iranian source told The Jerusalem Post on Monday. The source, who is in touch with Iranians inside Iran and is knowledgeable about the situation on the ground nationwide, discussed how the emerging agreement is being received in Iran. The source said that friends say “everything was going on organically to the advantage of the Iranian people and the world since the first war in June 2025 started against the Islamic Republic.”

The source discussed the 12-day war and how that conflict, which began with Israeli strikes on Iran, was successful. However, the source said that dissidents in Iran have been surprised by the outcome of the Trump administration’s involvement. “He came to harvest what Israelis had planted while the tree was still a sapling, and he ruined the seeding.” The source said that one surprising comment among opponents of the regime is talk about how hardliners could stage a military coup inside Iran. This is because there is opposition to an emerging deal within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “There’s numbers [sic] of hardliners in the regime body yet,” the source said, then claimed that “reformists in the IRGC” have been doing “a purge in recent months. They isolated the hardliners.”

The concern is that within Iran, the regime perceives an emerging deal, apparently mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, as a win for Tehran.“ On Iranian state TV, they described it as the victory of the axis of resistance against the US,” the source notes. “We are all shocked. I was talking with a friend in Iran a few hours ago. They can’t believe they made the deal.” The concern among those who oppose the regime in Iran is that the US has been convinced to make this deal. (Read More)

Trump Stabbed Israel in the Back

Trump gave Iran $12 billion, a lifted blockade, and a nuclear deferral, while screaming at Netanyahu and cutting Israel out entirely. This isn't a deal. It's a surrender. Donald Trump, the man who spent years thundering that Barack Obama's Iran deal was the worst agreement in the history of diplomacy, has just handed Tehran a package that makes the JCPOA look like maximum pressure. He has rewarded Iran with $12 billion in unfrozen assets before negotiations even begin, a lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, an end to oil sanctions, and the implicit international legitimacy the regime has craved for decades. And in exchange? Iran has "committed" not to build a nuclear bomb. A verbal commitment. From the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Where have we heard that before? Obama at least got centrifuges dismantled, enriched uranium shipped out of the country, and IAEA inspectors on the ground. Trump got a memorandum of understanding, a signing ceremony in Switzerland, and a thumbs-up from Putin and Xi Jinping, whom he effusively thanked for their help. He is proud of this. He said so. Meanwhile, Iran's military issued a triumphant statement declaring that it had "humiliated" the United States and Israel. The ayatollahs are dancing in the streets of Tehran, and why wouldn't they be? They closed the Strait of Hormuz, bled the global economy, survived U.S. and Israeli strikes on their nuclear sites, and emerged from the wreckage with their regime intact, their enrichment program unresolved, $24 billion coming their way, and the promise of more.

And Israel? Israel wasn't even in the room.

Not consulted. Not included. Not warned. The country most existentially threatened by an Iranian bomb was simply handed a ceasefire framework it didn't ask for, told to stop hitting Hezbollah targets in Beirut, and informed by the President of the United States that its Prime Minister is "a very difficult guy" who "should be very thankful." On another call, according to multiple sourced reports, Trump reportedly screamed at Netanyahu: "You're f---ing crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. Everybody hates Israel because of you." That is how America's closest ally in the Middle East was treated while Trump was busy cutting deals with the people who chant "Death to Israel" at Friday prayers.  (Ed note: WOW. Don't sugar coat it, tell it like it is!)      (Read More)

Israel vows to stay in south Lebanon; if Iran strikes, we’ll hit it ‘with full force’

Government ministers slam deal between US and Iran to end war, say Israel not bound by terms of the agreement; opposition accuses Netanyahu of failing the Israeli public.

Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Monday that the Israeli military will remain in southern Lebanon and warned that if Iran strikes, it will be hit “with full force,” promising that Israel will resist any pressure after the US and Iran agreed a deal to end the war that also reportedly includes a commitment to end hostilities in Lebanon. There was no immediate comment on the deal from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but far-right members of his coalition said Israel would not be bound by the terms of the agreement, while members of the opposition accused the premier of failing Israel’s citizens and betraying the armed forces. US and Iranian officials said early Monday that they had agreed on a framework for an agreement to end the war, which is expected to halt the US blockade of Iranian ports, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin 60 days of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program. According to Iranian and Pakistani sources, the agreement also includes a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group backed by Iran. 

Israel, despite having started the war alongside the US, was not involved in the negotiations over the deal, which appears not to achieve the goals of the war that were set out by the US and Israel, including eliminating Iran’s nuclear program, depleting its ballistic missile stockpile, ending its support for terror proxies and creating the conditions for the fall of the regime. Israeli military action in Lebanon needs to be completely halted and the US bears responsibility for implementing the framework deal on ending the war, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Turkish, Iraqi and Egyptian counterparts on Monday in separate calls, according to his Telegram account.

However, Katz insisted that Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, where it is battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah “despite all the existing pressures and those that will still come.” “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are leading a clear policy that determines that the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, without any time limit, to protect the border and Israeli communities from there against jihadist elements,” Katz said in a statement. He said the security zones will be “cleared of local residents, and all terror infrastructure, above and below ground, including the houses in the contact-line villages that served as terror outposts, will be destroyed.” (Read More)

Chief of Staff: 'We are prepared for fronts besides Lebanon'

Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir spoke with the Northern Command and stressed the need for offensive operations in Lebanon to wear down Hezbollah's southern front and improve future security arrangements.

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held discussions today with division and brigade commanders in the IDF Northern Command, approved operational plans, and highlighted the military's operational achievements in recent weeks. Zamir praised the commanders for their initiative, determination, and offensive operations, emphasizing that the IDF continues to operate across all fronts while maintaining a high level of readiness.

The Chief of Staff said that Lebanon remains the IDF's main area of focus, while preparations are also being made for other arenas. He said the operation in the Bofor area is aimed at delaying Hezbollah, damaging its underground infrastructure and command capabilities, and preventing the organization from developing advanced firepower capabilities. Zamir added that the forces are operating with "operational superiority" and receiving extensive fire support from both ground and air units.

"We continue to act proactively and offensively, deepen the maneuver where necessary, strengthen the defense, and remove the threat from the residents of the north," he said. He noted that each additional operational achievement contributes to weakening Hezbollah's southern front and improving future security arrangements, which will be determined through negotiations mediated by the United States between the political leaderships and the Lebanese government. (Source)

Trump announces US-Iran peace deal has been completed, Strait of Hormuz to reopen

“Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated in a post on X/Twitter.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that a peace deal between the US and Iran has been completed in a post on Truth Social on Sunday.“The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” Trump stated, adding his “congratulations to all.” “I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade,” Trump continued.

In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Trump clarified that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened to allow the transit of commercial vessels on Friday after the agreement is signed. Trump told the New York Times in an interview after the agreement was announced that if Iran failed to reach a final agreement on nuclear issues, the US would restart attacks against Tehran. He also told the NYT that the deal would ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is “permanently toll free.”

Trump's announcement came shortly after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated the deal had been reached in a post on X/Twitter.“Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” Sharif stated. According to a Maariv report citing Israeli sources familiar with the matter, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump that Israel would not consider itself bound to the stopping of military operations in Lebanon.  (Ed note: Yep, President Trump just threw Israel under the bus. This should get very interesting in a hurry.)    (Read More)

'He should be very thankful': Trump slams 'difficult' Netanyahu following Iran deal

Speaking to The New York Times, President Trump defends his new Iran pact, claiming it saved Israel from obliteration.

US President Donald Trump claimed during a Sunday interview with The New York Times that his freshly brokered pact with Tehran will guarantee that the Strait of Hormuz remains completely open without transit fees indefinitely. He further asserted that the diplomatic breakthrough successfully shielded Israel from nuclear devastation, overriding fierce pushback from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The president warned that if the Islamic Republic fails to reach a definitive atomic accord - a process administration aides indicate is slated to commence this Friday in Switzerland - he is prepared to reignite military operations against Tehran. Alternatively, Trump proposed an arrangement where the United States would serve as a regional protector in exchange for a 20 percent share of Middle Eastern revenues.

The remarks were delivered during a 28-minute phone dialogue initiated by Trump from the White House executive residence, followed by a brief secondary call. Throughout the conversation, the president maintained that his late-February military offensive against Iran, paired with the subsequent maritime blockade enforced after Tehran shut the strait, completely reshaped regional dynamics to Washington's advantage.

During the interview with the Times, Trump lauded Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for their assistance in facilitating the truce. Conversely, he leveled harsh criticism at Netanyahu, accusing the Israeli leader of orchestrating military maneuvers that nearly broke the emerging peace deal. “He’s a very difficult guy," Trump said of Netanyahu, “and to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours." (Ed note: So President Trump is doing a victory lap with a big enemy, The New York Times?)   (Read More)

Iran Won. America Still Refuses to Win.

Israel must start working harder—and, more importantly, thinking harder. Israel has, in many ways, returned to an earlier strategic position, partly through its own choices. It had opportunities to dismantle Hezbollah more decisively and failed to seize them. It debated the future of Gaza but ultimately stopped short of implementing some of the most far-reaching proposals that were discussed. Israel therefore finds it difficult to criticize the United States for stepping back from pursuing a total victory against Iran, its secondary front, when Israel itself stepped back from pursuing total victory in what it viewed as its own secondary arenas.

During the recent war, Israel inflicted severe blows on its enemies. Yet many of those organizations recovered far more quickly than expected. This does not mean they returned to full operational capability, nor does it mean that the infrastructure and organizational systems in Lebanon or Gaza were fully restored. But the broader story is more important. The real problem is that Western societies often demonstrate a willingness to fight, but a limited willingness to pursue decisive victory or bear the full costs that victory may demand.

For the United States, that reluctance often centers on the prospect of losing soldiers. For Israel, it may manifest differently: a deep reluctance to employ overwhelming force against enemies, even while facing organizations committed to its destruction. Meanwhile, many of the groups confronting Israel and the West embrace a radically different worldview, one that glorifies sacrifice and martyrdom. This creates an asymmetric conflict in which one side seeks to minimize casualties while the other may regard death in battle as the goal to achieve, not avoid. Ignoring that ideological gap risks misunderstanding the nature of the conflict, and its baring on Western Decline. (Ed note: It can be added that just about every time in the recent past that Israel has gone in to administer the "coup de grâce" to an enemy, a US President has stepped in to stop them. But this thing ain't over yet. Any bets/thoughts on how long before Hezbollah hits Israel again?)   (Read More)

IDF confirms: Hezbollah commander behind attack on US troops eliminated

Ali Musa Daqduq, a senior Hezbollah commander wanted for the 2007 killing of US soldiers, was eliminated by the IDF, Israel says.

The IDF confirmed on Sunday that in a precise strike in southern Lebanon on Friday, it eliminated Ali Musa Daqduq, a senior commander in the Hezbollah terrorist organization. Daqduq held a series of senior positions within Hezbollah and served as a source of knowledge with extensive operational experience. In recent years, he played a central role in advancing terrorist attacks and combat operations against the State of Israel and IDF soldiers.

Among his various positions, Daqduq served as the Commander of the security unit of the eliminated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a commander in the Radwan Force, a commander in the Operations Department of the Nasser Unit, the Head of Hezbollah’s Infantry Unit and the Commander of the “Golan Terrorist Network," a terrorist cell responsible for Hezbollah’s entrenchment in Syria and the establishment of military infrastructure near the Israeli border. The unit’s activities were exposed by the IDF in 2019.

Over the past several years, Daqduq led much of Hezbollah’s operational planning against IDF soldiers along the Lebanon border. In 2007, he was imprisoned by US forces after orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers. The IDF stated that Daqduq's elimination constitutes another significant blow to Hezbollah’s senior chain of command by eliminating one of the most prominent operatives responsible for terrorist activity against Israeli civilians, IDF soldiers, and American servicemembers. (Ed note: Hezbollah commander Ali Musa Daqduq was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, in an area south of the Litani River.)  (Source)

Trump: Israeli strike on Beirut shouldn’t have happened; none of Lebanon should be struck in future

US President Donald Trump knocks Israel for attacking Beirut today and says the IDF should not carry out any more attacks on any part of Lebanon moving forward. “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 writes on Truth Social, stopping short of definitively declaring that an memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran will actually be signed today.

“Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured or killed and should not disrupt this important process,” Trump says, suggesting that Israel overreacted by targeting Beirut in response to a Hezbollah attack on northern Israel.

“We are very close to a deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down,” Trump says. “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,” he adds.

Trump notably suggests that the MOU with Iran will cover all of Lebanon and not just Beirut, after Israeli officials signaled they would only comply with refraining from targeting the capital but would continue operations deep into southern Lebanon. “This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!” Trump adds. (Ed note: All these Presidents think that they are great "Peace Makers"but none of them speak to or resolve the problem of the hatred of Israel, and Israel will be left to fight after the US Presidents have gone. What say you?) (Source)

'Israel won't tolerate fire into its territory': IDF strikes in Dahieh

The IDF struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Beirut's Dahieh district in response to Hezbollah fire toward Israel.

The Israeli Air Force struck Hezbollah terror targets in Beirut's Dahieh district on Sunday afternoon in response to drone launches toward Israeli territory earlier in the day. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that "the IDF has just struck terror targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Dahieh district of Beirut in response to Hezbollah fire toward Israeli territory. Israel will not tolerate fire into its territory."

The strike followed the infiltration of three unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Lebanon into Israeli airspace during the morning hours. Two drones exploded in the Shlomi area of the western Galilee, while a third later exploded in a military zone inside Israel. The IDF said all of the aerial targets fell in military areas near the border and not within civilian communities. The military added that there were no casualties and that the circumstances of the incidents are under investigation.

Cabinet member and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded to the incident by calling for a strong Israeli response. "The fire toward northern communities is a test of the Dahieh equation that the Prime Minister announced," Smotrich said. "I call on him to implement it with determination and force and bring down more buildings in Dahieh today. We are in critical days that will shape the region for many years. We promised security to the residents of the north, and we must deliver.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he would present his position during discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu and call for a harsh response to any violation by Hezbollah. "For every drone, a missile. For every violation, fire. For every UAV, Dahieh should shake. For every hair on the head of an IDF soldier, a thousand Hezbollah terrorists. Terror is not contained - it is defeated," Ben Gvir said.

Last week, after a Hezbollah attack on Israeli territory, the IDF carried out a strike in Beirut, a move that was followed by an Iranian attack involving approximately 23 missiles launched at Israel and two waves of Israeli Air Force strikes in Iran. Defense Minister Katz stated last week that "every attack on northern communities will lead to a strike in Dahieh," the Beirut neighborhood regarded as Hezbollah's main stronghold in Lebanon. (Ed note: This could hurt the so called Peace Process, but Israel is sick of the terrorist group called Hezbollah and should defend itself, even if President Trump and Iran don't want them to do so!) (Source)

Trump says Iran deal to be signed tomorrow, Hormuz to open 'immediately after' (SUNDAY)

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a deal with Iran is set to be signed on Sunday and that the Strait of Hormuz will immediately open following the signing, according to a Truth Social post. "The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL," wrote Trump. Trump emphasized that the deal was significantly different than that of the Obama administration, which he described as "an easy, beautiful, smooth road to a Nuclear Weapon, which Iran would have had six years ago, and would have used long before now."

"My Agreement with Iran is the exact opposite, A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON!" said Trump. "In fact, they no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, nor will they have one, either through purchase, development, or any other form of procurement." He added that "no money will exchange hands," attempting to further differentiate the deal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with Trump accusing then-president Barack Obama of paying "Hundreds of Billions of Dollars" to Iran, "including 1.7 Billion Dollars in green, cold cash."

"At the appropriate time, when all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust, buried deep under the powerful sunken granite mountains, thanks to our beautiful B-2 Bombers and their brilliant pilots, and downblend and destroy it, whether in Iran, or the United States," Trump added. "We look forward to working with Iran, and the entire Middle East, long into the future," continued Trump. "Hopefully, this process will all work out quickly, easily, and smoothly. If it doesn’t, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!" (Read More)

Iran says signing of deal with US will not take place on (SUNDAY)

The signing of the Islamabad memorandum with the United States will not be on Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says, according to state media.

He adds that the possibility of signing the Islamabad memorandum in the coming days could not be ruled out, but caution was needed regarding any comment on the signing date due to the “hesitation of the other side,” referring to the US. (Source)

Iran's Secret 14-Point Deal With the U.S. Revealed

Iran has published its draft MOU with Washington and the document excludes both its ballistic missile program and its proxy forces entirely, blindsiding Israel and triggering fury in Jerusalem.

Iran has published the terms of a draft 14-point memorandum of understanding with the United States, revealing sweeping demands that include $300 billion in economic reconstruction funding, full lifting of the naval blockade, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian authority, while explicitly excluding both its ballistic missile program and its support for regional proxy forces from any negotiations. The document, reported by Iran's state-linked Mehr news agency, has not been formally approved by Tehran, but its publication marked the most detailed public accounting yet of Iran's position heading into what would be a 60-day negotiating window on a final nuclear agreement.

Israel had entered the current conflict with a firm, publicly stated demand: any agreement with Iran must address three core issues — the nuclear program, the ballistic missile project, and the dismantling of Tehran's network of armed proxy organizations across the Middle East. The revelation that both the missile program and the proxy file had been removed entirely from the American initiative drew fierce opposition in Israel, where officials had hoped to block a deal.

The one-page MOU is being negotiated between President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iranian officials, both directly and through intermediaries. In its current form, the framework would declare an end to hostilities and open a 30-day period of negotiations on a more detailed accord covering the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's nuclear program, and the lifting of U.S. sanctions.

Iran's 14-point draft sets demanding preconditions before substantive talks can begin. Tehran is calling for an immediate and permanent halt to fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon, along with an explicit American commitment not to interfere in Iran's internal affairs. On the economic side, Iran is demanding suspension of oil and petrochemical sanctions, full access to its frozen financial assets, and a U.S.-funded economic reconstruction package of no less than $300 billion. An additional $24 billion in frozen Iranian funds would need to be released during the negotiating period itself, with half available to Tehran before substantive talks even begin. (Ed note:  After reading the above article, a serious question for consideration. If President Trump throws the state of Israel under the bus because of his BIG DEAL with Iran, will God throw the United States under the bus because of Trump?) (Read More)