Trump Defends Iran Deal Amidst Criticism and Escalating Regional Tensions

Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump has struck out at critics of a memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran to end the US-Israeli war with Iran.

The statements on Friday, a continuation of Trump’s defence of the deal to end the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28, came a day after US Vice President JD Vance cancelled a planned trip to Switzerland to begin negotiations on a host of entrenched issues as outlined in the MOU.

The delay has thrown into question the longevity of the deal, only a day after both sides signed on, with Israel’s ongoing fighting in Lebanon threatening to derail the diplomatic breakthrough.

In back-to-back posts on Truth Social on Friday, Trump maintained that he had strengthened Washington’s hand in the region, rejecting criticism from Democrats and a handful of Republicans that the MOU only addresses issues that the conflict itself created.

That included reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the US naval blockade on Iran’s ports, and halting fighting on all fronts, including, ostensibly, Lebanon.

Trump said, “The War has diminished Iran!”, pointing to US attacks that have degraded Iran’s navy, air force and traditional military capabilities.

He added that Democrats, however, are saying “Iran is better off now than it was four months ago. Can you imagine getting away with that??? How stupid can some people be???”.

In a second post, Trump declared that Iran, not the US, entered negotiations out of “desperation”, adding, “They are FINISHED!”

“We’ll play out the 60 days,” he said, in an apparent reference to the MOU’s negotiation period, during which time Iran’s nuclear programme, the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, the releasing of Iran’s frozen assets, the lifting of all sanctions on Iran, and the creation of a $300bn reconstruction plan for Iran were set to be discussed.

Trump claims Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’

Trump had also sat down for an on-camera interview with Axios News on Thursday, in which he suggested that Iran’s signing of the MOU “probably is unconditional surrender”.

He added that he learned from the war, which remained unrestrained by the US Congress, that there “are no limits” to his power.

He also took aim at a handful of Republican Iran hawks who have criticised the MOU.

That has included Senator Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who has criticised the agreement’s immediate lifting of US sanctions on Iran’s fossil fuel industry, calling it a “step in the wrong direction”.

Senator Roger Wicker, meanwhile, criticised both the planned $300bn reconstruction fund for Iran, which Trump has maintained will not be funded by US taxpayer dollars, and the pledge to halt fighting in Lebanon.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei again said Tehran holds the US responsible for attacks in Lebanon, as Israel said it hit more than 150 targets since midnight.

Shortly after, a US official, two Hezbollah sources, and and Israeli official told the Reuters news agency that a new ceasefire had been agreed in Lebanon.

A day earlier, US Vice President JD Vance lodged a rare public rebuke of Israel amid its ongoing military campaign, warning Israeli officials against attacking “the only powerful ally that [they] have anywhere left ‌in the entire world”.

In his interview with Axios, Trump maintained that his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “good, but we have to keep him a little bit sane.”