Trump Signs Iran Peace Deal Amid Israeli Defiance in Lebanon

President Donald Trump signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 17, 2026, to end a conflict that began in February. The interim deal, signed at the Palace of Versailles during a G7 summit, mandates a permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In exchange for pledging not to develop nuclear weapons and diluting enriched uranium, Iran received immediate sanctions waivers on oil exports and the unfreezing of assets, with a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund for the future.

Implementation has been severely strained by the Cabinet of Israel, which was excluded from the negotiations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials have refused to withdraw forces from southern Lebanon, citing security needs. Israeli airstrikes killed dozens in Lebanon, leading Iran to suspend planned technical negotiations in Switzerland and briefly close the Strait of Hormuz in protest. Despite this, a U.S.- and Qatar-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah reportedly took effect on June 20, allowing U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to resume travel to Switzerland.

The agreement has sparked intense political division. While Vice President JD Vance defended the deal as a win for the American people, critics—including some Republican senators and pro-Israel groups—characterized it as an unconditional surrender. Trump has publicly clashed with Netanyahu over the conduct of the war in Lebanon, while simultaneously claiming that the U.S. military had already destroyed Iran's navy and air force. Trump further warned that the U.S. would impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz if a final agreement is not reached within 60 days.