US President Donald Trump has said a proposed agreement between the United States and Iran to end the conflict remains on track despite Israel's strike on Beirut and Tehran's threat of retaliation. Speaking to Axios, Trump said the deal, which was expected to be signed on Sunday, had only been delayed by a few hours following the escalation in Lebanon. While Iranian officials have not confirmed that a signing is imminent, Trump indicated that diplomatic efforts were continuing behind the scenes to keep the agreement alive.
According to Trump, the agreement was close to being signed when Israel carried out strikes in Beirut.
"It shook it up. It delayed the signing by a few hours," he said, adding that the deal had been scheduled for completion before the attack took place.
The escalation came just hours before the US and Iran were expected to finalise an agreement aimed at ending hostilities. Meanwhile, Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, warned on social media that a "strong response" was coming following the Israeli action.
Trump said he was taken by surprise when advisers informed him of the Israeli strike and revealed that he had expressed his frustration directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
While acknowledging that Hezbollah had launched an attack on Israel first, Trump noted that the incident caused no casualties and no significant damage.
He questioned the timing of Israel's response, saying he was angered by the decision to carry out the operation shortly before the anticipated signing of the agreement.
Trump Slams Israel For Bombing Beirut, Says 'There Should Be No More Attacks'
Trump claimed the proposed deal would serve Israel's security interests by preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
According to him, the agreement would require Iran to dispose of nuclear material and would allow snap inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities.
However, it remains unclear whether Tehran has provided any direct assurance that the agreement will be signed as planned. Iranian officials have yet to publicly confirm Trump's timeline, leaving uncertainty over whether the diplomatic breakthrough can withstand the latest regional tensions.
Middle East Tensions Flare Again As Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets In Beirut
