The long-awaited agreement between the US and Iran was signed without waiting for the planned ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland. Donald Trump, who was in France for the G7 Leaders Summit, signed the agreement during a dinner held in his honor at the Palace of Versailles, and footage of the moment was shared on the White House's social media accounts.
On the Iranian side, it was announced that the agreement was signed by President Masoud Pezeshkian. Pakistan’s President Shahbaz Sharif, acting as mediator, also confirmed the signing and thanked Turkey for its role and contribution.
While it remains uncertain whether a ceremony will be held in Switzerland following the leaders' signatures, the US media targeted the Trump administration, criticizing the 14-article agreement for prioritizing Iran’s interests.
Comments suggest that the agreed clauses are far from the strategic goals expressed by President Trump and senior US officials since the start of the war, raising the question, "Why was the war fought then?"
Washington initiated the war against Iran on February 28 with the aim of completely dismantling the country’s nuclear program, destroying its ballistic missile infrastructure, and permanently cutting off funding to regional proxy forces like Hezbollah. Trump had also stated that regime change in Tehran would be the best possible outcome.
However, the process did not proceed as expected for the US and Israel. Shortly after the agreement, Trump told the Wall Street Journal, "Regime change never mattered to me. The current Iranian leadership is the most rational group we have dealt with so far," a statement that shocked his allies.
When entering the war, Trump had declared that Iran’s nuclear program would be completely eliminated and uranium enrichment would be zeroed out. However, the Islamabad Agreement preserves Iran’s current nuclear status. The future of uranium stockpiles was left open to negotiations. The only US gain was the clause confirming that "Iran will not develop nuclear weapons," but this was already Tehran’s stance before the war.
The goal of "dismantling Iran’s missile program," presented as a key condition for regional security especially by Israel, was not included in the 14-article text. Iran retained its missile technology at the negotiating table. Trump even recently said it would be unfair to say "no" only to Iran while other countries in the region possess ballistic missiles.
Although the war began with the aim of eliminating Hezbollah and the Houthis in the region, the opposite occurred. The US was forced to sign a ceasefire that halted Israel’s operations in Lebanon.
Besides what the US failed to achieve, Iran’s gains at the negotiating table are notable. The agreement commits $300 billion in funds for Iran’s reconstruction, and as part of the final deal, all US sanctions imposed through the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency will be lifted. Frozen Iranian assets will be released.
During the agreement process, the US Treasury will grant exemptions for Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, banking, insurance, and shipping sectors. Iran and Oman will negotiate the future of transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which could mean a shift in the pre-war status quo in favor of Iran. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Kalibaf expressed the gains by saying, "We won the war. We defeated the US and Israel."
Meanwhile, a statement from CENTCOM last night announced the lifting of the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first step taken by the US after the signing.
The US-Iran agreement has strained ties between Washington and Tel Aviv. The clause calling for a halt to attacks in Lebanon caused discomfort in Israel.
Despite the agreement, the Israeli army launched a drone attack yesterday on the town of Kfar Tebnit in southern Lebanon. It is claimed that Israel requested operational freedom in the area from Tel Aviv and held extensive talks with the US regarding its occupation in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli stated that withdrawing behind the "Blue Line," the UN-approved unofficial border at the Lebanon frontier, would be a "failure," and emphasized that they know how to say "no" to the US if necessary.
The US-Israel rift over Iran is not new. Recently, tense phone calls occurred between Trump and Netanyahu, with Trump confirming these and criticizing Israel’s attacks on Beirut.
The Wall Street Journal also claimed that dissatisfaction on the US side is not limited to Trump. According to the report, Trump told his close circle he was tired of Netanyahu’s "constant demands for military intervention," and many officials in the administration believe Netanyahu is prolonging the war for domestic political reasons, causing discontent in Washington.
Yesterday, US Vice President JD Vance responded sharply to criticisms of the US in Israel by naming Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, saying, "You are a country of 9 million. You cannot solve every national security problem you face by just killing your way out."
Vance also said, "I find all this panic in Israel strange because I think it stems from insecurity."
