US President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a strong warning to Iran, saying “all hell will rain down” if Tehran attempts to acquire a nuclear weapon, even as Washington and Tehran move closer to formalising a landmark agreement aimed at ending months of conflict in West Asia.
Speaking alongside Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, Trump said the central objective of the agreement was ensuring that Iran never develops nuclear arms, according to Al Jazeera.
“The only thing that really matters to me is Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and it says it loud and clear,” Trump told the press, the report said. “All hell will rain down” if Iran intends to obtain one, he added.
Trump additionally noted that he assumes Iran possesses a “rational leadership” now, after attacks by the US and Israel have killed numerous Iranian officials earlier in the war, according to the report. “Iranian leaders who were ‘totally irrational’ are ‘now gone’,” he asserted, indicating that the Iranian leadership would be carefully considering the US’s proposal on not developing nuclear weapons.
Peace deal enters next phase
Trump’s comments come a day after the United States and Iran announced a memorandum of understanding to end the war that erupted in February and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor. A formal signing ceremony is expected in Switzerland on June 19, with negotiators set to begin a 60-day process to resolve remaining issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief.
The US president also said the agreement had entered a ‘second stage’ and expressed confidence that it would succeed. “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,” news agency Reuters cited Trump, as he was reportedly speaking to reporters at the G7 summit in France.
He further dismissed reports suggesting Washington would provide financial assistance to Tehran, calling such claims “fake news.”
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What the ‘peace deal’ includes
While the full text of the memorandum has not been released, officials from both sides have outlined several key provisions.
The framework reportedly requires Iran to commit to never producing or acquiring nuclear weapons and to maintain the current status of its nuclear programme until a final agreement is reached. Tehran is also expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, while the United States would lift its naval blockade and begin discussions on sanctions relief.
The sixty-day negotiation window is provided to resolve unresolved issues, including the future of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, international inspections and monitoring, sanctions, and broader nuclear-related commitments. Vice President JD Vance has said Iran has committed to disposing of its stockpile of highly enriched material, though the specifics are expected to be worked out during the next phase of talks.
Trump has repeatedly framed the nuclear provisions as the core of the agreement. Speaking at the G7 summit, he said the deal creates a “wall” against Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. “It can’t have a nuclear weapon, or they get blown up,” Trump said, while contrasting the proposed agreement with the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former US President Barack Obama, which he described as “a road to a nuclear weapon”.
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Hormuz reopening remains uncertain
While Trump has repeatedly said the Strait of Hormuz will be fully open by Friday, shipping companies remain cautious. The head of Mitsui OSK Lines, one of the world’s largest tanker operators, said it could take weeks before commercial traffic fully resumes, as shipowners wait for proof that the agreement is durable after several failed attempts to reopen the waterway, according to Financial Times.
The deal has already had an impact on energy markets, with oil prices falling sharply after the announcement.
However, US Vice President JD Vance said no sanctions relief or asset unfreezing had taken place so far, pushing back against reports that Washington had offered immediate financial concessions to Tehran.
Regional tensions persist
Despite diplomatic progress, tensions remain across the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is not bound by the agreement and reiterated that Iran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.
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Trump, meanwhile, acknowledged differences with Israel over Lebanon, saying he had told Netanyahu to be “more responsible” following recent Israeli strikes in Beirut, as reported by Reuters.
Iranian officials have also warned that continued Israeli military action in Lebanon could jeopardise the broader understanding reached with Washington, underscoring the fragile nature of the emerging peace process.
Qatar ‘optimistic’ on ‘next phase’ of diplomacy
Qatar has expressed optimism about the next phase of diplomacy. Speaking in Doha, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Qatar hoped the agreement would help end the conflict and contribute to regional stability.
He added that Doha was hopeful the formal signing of the deal on Friday would mark the beginning of “fruitful negotiations” between Washington and Tehran, as both sides work through unresolved issues in the coming weeks.
