Netanyahu has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon: Trump

Says he likes the idea of sending Iran ​deal to Congress for review, a request by some ​Republican lawmakers

US President Donald ​Trump on Tuesday told reporters at the G7 ‌meetings in France. the memorandum of understanding with Iran stated clearly that Iran would not have a nuclear weapon.

Trump said ​that he would release the text of the ​US-Iran memorandum in a formal setting.

The president also ⁠said he likes the idea of sending the Iran ​deal to Congress for review. a request by some ​Republican lawmakers.

"I never thought about sending it, never even thought about it, but I will," Trump told reporters. "I will send it to ​Congress. I like the idea."

The US deal with Iran ​is an agreement to hash out details in the coming weeks.

"I think ‌it's ⁠going to go pretty quickly," Trump told reporters about the next phase of negotiations with Iran. stipulated with a 60-day deadline.

"Iran wants to get it done. They have to ​get back ​to business,. ⁠the relationship is now normalised, so I think it's going to go pretty quickly," ​Trump told reporters during his meeting with ​Mohamed ⁠bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, on the sidelines of the G7.

"Could go faster, ⁠could take ​longer too, but it could ​go fast."

Trump: Iran deal says 'loud and clear' that Tehran won't have a nuclear weaponhttps://t.co/2gGPAOs6Q7https://t.co/2gGPAOs6Q7

Netanyahu has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon: Trump

US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needed to be "more responsible" with respect to Lebanon.

His comments came during a meeting with the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani at the G7 Summit in France, where Trump also said he told Israel that he did not like its attack on Beirut. suggested that Syria should take care of Hezbollah instead of Israel.

He denied being frustrated with Netanyahu, stating that they "have a great relationship."

He said the Iran deal was going to a second stage,. that the US would not be investing any money in Iran: "We have our deal done with Iran, and it should be successful; it goes to a second stage, which I think would be actually easier," he said, speaking to reporters.

When asked whether the US-Iran deal can survive even if Israel attacks Lebanon, Trump said: “It can”.

Trump added that the Iran deal specifies that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon; "The only thing that really matters to me is Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,. it says it loud and clear," he told reporters.

"The biggest thing is that they will not have a nuclear weapon. That's the reason I got in, that's the reason I signed."

He also said that "They're not gonna develop a nuclear weapon, they're not gonna buy a nuclear weapon.. If they do, all hell will rain down on them."

"You talk about regime change,. the first group is dead, the second group is dead, part of the third group is dead. I think we're dealing with rational people. I don't believe in regime change; I've watched regime changes for years; they never work."

Referring to the conflict in Lebanon, he said that he “considers that the minor war,” as perAl Jazeera.

"Iran’s the big one, but we have that little pinprick out there that constantly rears its head, and that’s Hezbollah”.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani says the US-Iran agreement will result in positive outcomes throughout the Middle East.

“I want to thank you for your leadership in this very critical time in the Middle East. This is a very important deal, there’s still a lot of work to be done, but with this momentum – if we continue like that, Mr President – I think we can achieve. do great things in the region,” Sheikh Tamim told Trump at the summit, according toAl Jazeera.

Qatar says Iran-US deal hopefully will get LNG flowing to world

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said the Gulf state hopes the US-Iran agreement will get its liquefied natural gas (LNG) flowing again to countries in need. according toAl Jazeera

“We hope the MoU will help open the navigation in Hormuz so. Qatar can continue supplying LNG,” he told a press conference.

Al-Ansari noted Qatar will be represented in Geneva on Friday for the formal signing of the memorandum of understanding between Iran. the United States.

The spokesperson voiced optimism that the negotiations between Iran. the US will end the conflict and achieve stability, as perAl Jazeera.

Al-Ansari also expressed hope that the signing of the deal on Friday will be the beginning of fruitful negotiations.

He added that Qatar will continue working to prevent the return of escalation. to achieve stability in the region, as it was before the war on Iran.

Qatar will continue to engage in efforts to forward progress in the Iran-US negotiations. the Foreign Ministry said, according toAl Jazeera.

“We are supporting the Pakistani-led mediation, working in support of the efforts of our brothers in Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.

“And we must praise here the role Pakistan has played to get us to this point. the role it will play going forward as the main mediator.”

He added in the US-Iran talks “in Qatar we don’t take lightly our responsibility towards regional security and. therefore, we engaged fully as supporters of the mediation”.

Some of the main points of contention now being discussed between the US. Iran include non-aggression pacts, non-state armed groups, and nuclear issues, Qatar said, according toAl Jazeera.

“We are on the right track now towards regional security. Obviously, there are a lot of challenges coming ahead,. let’s take this as a moment to enjoy some optimism,” Al-Ansari told reporters in Doha.

“We are talking about various issues: the Strait of Hormuz, regional security. non-aggression, and good neighbourly relations between this region and Iran,” he added.

“We’re talking about, of course, the nuclear program but also other issues regarding proxies. missiles and other issues that have played prominent in the region for decades. These will not be resolved in mere days.”

Al-Ansari added. no Qatari funds have been paid under the reported framework of $300bn allocated for the reconstruction of Iran after the war.

“We cannot comment on the $300bn allocated for reconstruction,” he told a reporter when asked about the figure.

“I can’t say that we are returning to business as usual in our region with our neighbours… There is a lot of need for dialogue. for agreement over how to guarantee the security of our region,” al-Ansari said.

Trump says Russia 'should make a deal' with Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "Russia should make a deal" to end its war against Ukraine. after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in France.

Trump said he "had a meeting" with Zelensky at the summit in the spa town of Evian-les-Bains. more talks were planned later in the day, as the G7 group of leading world powers seeks to increase pressure on Moscow to end more than four years of fighting.

He pointed to the high casualties on both sides in the conflict, a toll he described as "ridiculous".

Trump added: "Admit the whole thing is ridiculous. So, yeah, I'm going to do whatever I can."

Zelenskiy said on Monday he had suggested to Trump that he could meet Putin in the United States. arguing that the Kremlin strongman could find such an offer "harder to refuse" than a previous offer for talks at the G7.

Iran says parliament speaker Ghalibaf to lead delegation in US deal signing

The Iranian delegation will be headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during the signing of a memorandum of understanding to end the war with the US in Switzerland. according to Iranian media.

It is still unclear exactly where the signing will take place. what format it will take, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told reporters on Tuesday, according to semi-officialMehrnews agency.

“Switzerland will be the venue for the signing, but the exact location has not yet been determined. The next round of negotiations will begin immediately after the signing,” said Takht-Ravanchi.

Iran's Araghchi says talks with US to finalise agreement will start on Friday

Iran. the US will start a new round of negotiations on Friday in Switzerland to reach a final agreement after the official start of an interim agreement, Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Araghchi also warned. any Israeli attack on Lebanon or continued presence on Lebanese territory from now on constituted a violation of the interim agreement with the United States.

"In our view, the two parties to this memorandum are the US. Israel on one side, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other," he said.

Araghchi said when it comes to negotiations, Washington and Tel Aviv are one and the same, according toAl Jazeera.

“In our view, ⁠the two parties ⁠to this memorandum are the US. Israel on one ‌side, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other,” ‌said Araghchi.

He added that the upcoming US-Iran negotiations will be broken into two stages.

The first will cover issues such as the status of the Strait of Hormuz, the US’s naval blockade,. reconstruction after US-Israeli bombardment of Iran’s infrastructure, Araghchi said.

A later stage of negotiations will cover nuclear issues. sanctions relief to be resolved in a final agreement, he added.

US and Iran sign ceasefire agreement, details remain unclear

US President Donald Trump said on Monday a preliminary agreement to end the US-Israel war on Iran has been signed by the US. Iran, though details have yet to be made public, and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.

The agreement would extend a tenuous ceasefire announced in April by another 60 days. reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February.

Negotiators would address difficult issues like the future of Iran's nuclear program during the next phase.

"The deal's all signed," Trump said after he arrived in France for a summit of theG7 group of big economies. He said Vice President JD Vance would attend a formal signing ceremony in Geneva on Friday.

Vance also toldFox Newsthat Trump may release details about the agreement before Friday.

Read:US, Iran reach preliminary agreement to end war, signing set for Friday

Oil prices fell to their lowest level since March 10, shortly after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran. Oman, cut off one-fifth of the world's oil trade.

The deal is the most significant step yet to resolve the conflict, which has killed at least 7,000 people, mostly in Iran. Lebanon, and upended global energy markets.

But much about the agreement remains unknown, and whether its provisions differ from the April ceasefire was unclear.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on social media that the US-Iran memorandum of understanding was an "important step" toward stopping the fighting. noted a final agreement for a lasting truce "has yet to take shape."

Vance toldCNNthat the signed memorandum was only about 1-1/2 pages "and so it is a very general document." Details will be released over the next two days. US officials said. Vance said it included "a very significant sanctions relief package" for Iran.

US. Iranian officials say it could eventually deliver substantial economic benefits to Iran by lifting sanctions, unfreezing foreign assets and setting up a $300 billion reconstruction fund, paid for by neighbouring Gulf states, which host US military bases.

US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Iran would have to satisfy US demands never to build a nuclear weapon. cut off support for militias like Hezbollah in Lebanon to get those benefits.

Iran agreed to sharply curtail its nuclear program in a deal signed in 2015 with the US and other countries. Trump withdrew the US from that accord during his first term as president. That agreement allowed Iran to regain billions of dollars in frozen assets. which Trump has frequently derided as sending "pallets of cash" to Iran.

Trump appears to have achieved little of what he said he intended when he launched strikes on Iran with Israel on February 28. Iran's government remains in place, while his demands that Iran dismantle its ballistic missile program. end support for regional militias like Hezbollah remain unmet.

The new agreement also does not resolve the fate of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium. which Trump says he wants destroyed or removed. The agreement does stipulate that the 60 days after signing is the period to negotiate details about Iran's nuclear promises.

Iranian officials. who have always denied intending to build a nuclear weapon, say they have given up little by agreeing to resume the diplomatic discussions with Trump officials over the nuclear program that were interrupted in February by Trump's decision to launch the war.

While the latest agreement lifts Iran's barring of the Strait of Hormuz, that only restores the prewar status quo,. shippers say traffic will only restart once safety is assured.

Iran has suggested it will retain control with Oman over the strait. The US said the strait will be open toll-free for 60 days,. it would expect that provision to be part of a final agreement as well.

US-Iran pact welcomed by 17 countries, all urge reopening of Strait of Hormuz

A group of 17 countries on Monday welcomed the memorandum of understanding announced between the US. Iran, describing it as an opportunity to restore regional stability and support the global economy.

“This is a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability. stabilise the global economy,” a joint statement by the UK, France, Germany and Italy read. The statement was later signed by 13 other countries.

They congratulated the US, Iran and mediators including Pakistan and Qatar on what they called a diplomatic breakthrough.

The leaders stressed that detailed negotiations should be concluded. the agreement implemented “rapidly and comprehensively,” adding that they stand ready to support the process.

They also called for the urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. the restoration of “unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation.”

The other signatories of the statement were Japan, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Greek Cypriot Administration, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Poland. Portugal.

The leaders said they were committed to contributing to that effort, including through “a strictly defensive. independent mission” aimed at reassuring commercial shipping and conducting mine-clearance operations, in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.

The statement reiterated that Iran “must never acquire a nuclear weapon”. expressed readiness to work with the US, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) toward that objective.

The leaders also said they were prepared to lift relevant sanctions in response to “clear. verifiable steps” by Iran regarding its nuclear program.

They pledged to work closely with the US, Iran. regional partners to maintain momentum and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement.

It further reaffirmed support for the stability, sovereignty. territorial integrity of Lebanon and underscored the importance of a robust ceasefire.

Trump dismisses Iran payout claims as Vance points to $300B Gulf-led fund

US President Donald Trump on Monday rejected claims that Washington is providing financial payouts to Iran. labelling reports of American funding as "fake news" amid reports of a multi-billion dollar reconstruction package.

“The story. the US is paying Iran 300 million dollars is fake news,” Trump asserted on his social media platform Truth Social.

While he cited a “300 million” figure, it remained unclear if he was contradicting the much larger “300 billion” sum mentioned by other administration officials. international media.

Vance clarified that any proposed $300 billion fund would be sourced from regional allies rather than the American taxpayer.

“Not a single dime of that money comes from the United States,” Vance toldNBC News.

He explained that Gulf Arab nations may choose to invest only if Tehran makes its economy "investable". begins behaving like a "normal country."

A senior US official confirmed earlier that while a multi-billion dollar fund was part of diplomatic discussions. all financial progress is strictly “tied to performance.”

TheFinancial Timesindicated that the establishment of the fund is contingent on a final settlement, which includes a 60-day ceasefire extension. the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It further noted. the capital would likely be managed through a framework for private companies interested in Iranian markets rather than direct government-to-government aid.

Netanyahu says he 'stood firm'

The fighting between US ally Israel. the Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, which has uprooted 1.2 million people, remains a sticking point.

Iran has said the deal requires a full cessation of hostilities there, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would keep its forces in southern Lebanon. would retain the right to respond to Hezbollah attacks.

"Iran wanted us to withdraw from it, but I stood firm," he said at a news conference, where he acknowledged that he. Trump have had their differences over the conflict. Israel has not directly participated in the peace talks with Iran.

Read more:Iran-US deal 'bad for Israel,' says Israeli finance minister

A US official said Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. which it invaded in March after Hezbollah joined the war, was not a condition of the deal. Disagreement over whether Lebanon was included was also a point of contention in the April ceasefire agreement.

Security sources said on Monday that fighting had tamped down in Lebanon after the agreement was announced. had not ceased entirely.

Lebanese state media reported that an Israeli drone struck a car in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Tebnit. killing the driver. Netanyahu said Israeli forces had killed four "militants."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israeli attacks must stop immediately.

Privately, Israeli officials' views of the deal have been negative. One senior official toldReuterson condition of anonymity that the agreement was "terrible for Israel,". that this assessment was shared throughout the government from Netanyahu down.

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