President Donald Trump made clear Wednesday that the proposed memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran remains far from finalized, warning that military action could resume if he is dissatisfied with the final terms or if Tehran fails to uphold its commitments.
Speaking during a press gaggle on the final day of the Group of Seven summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, Trump pushed back against suggestions that the agreement currently circulating represents a completed peace arrangement.
When asked whether the memorandum of understanding was final, the president offered an emphatic response.
“No, it’s not final,” Trump said. “It’s a memorandum of understanding.”
Trump stressed that any agreement would ultimately be judged by its final details and Iran’s behavior going forward.
“If I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their head,” he said.
The president repeated the warning moments later, underscoring that the military option remains available should negotiations break down or should Iran fail to meet expectations.
“If I don’t like it, if they don’t behave, we’ll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head,” Trump said. “Because they’ve misbehaved for 47 years.”
The remarks highlighted the uncertain state of negotiations as debate continues over the contents of the memorandum and whether it will ultimately produce a lasting settlement.
Trump then turned his attention to former President Barack Obama and the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly known as the JCPOA.
The agreement, negotiated between Iran, the United States, and several other world powers, imposed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018, arguing that it failed to adequately address long-term concerns surrounding Iran.
At the summit, Trump contrasted his approach with that of the Obama administration, arguing that his administration had not relied on financial incentives to secure Iranian cooperation.
“Nobody could have made this deal,” Trump said before criticizing the previous agreement and the financial arrangements associated with it.
Trump specifically referenced the transfer of $1.7 billion in cash to Iran during the Obama administration, claiming it amounted to an effort to buy compliance rather than secure meaningful concessions.
According to Trump, the strategy failed because Iranian leaders did not take the United States seriously under the prior arrangement.
He concluded the criticism with a blunt personal attack aimed at Obama, claiming Iranian officials mocked the former president rather than respecting him.
The comments came as speculation continues to swirl around the contents of the proposed memorandum of understanding.
On Tuesday, Al Arabiya English, the English-language arm of the Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya network, published what it described as a copy of a 14-point agreement expected to be signed between Washington and Tehran on Friday.
The reported document has fueled debate among supporters and critics alike, with questions emerging about sanctions, enforcement mechanisms, regional security arrangements, and the long-term effectiveness of the proposed framework.
Trump’s comments suggest that, despite growing expectations surrounding a possible agreement, negotiations remain fluid and subject to change.
The president’s remarks also reflected a recurring tension that often accompanies major international agreements: the challenge of balancing diplomacy with deterrence. While the administration continues pursuing a negotiated settlement, Trump signaled that military pressure remains central to his leverage and that any final deal must satisfy him before it earns his support.
For now, the memorandum remains just that—a memorandum—and Trump made clear that the final judgment will come only after the details are complete and the agreement is put to the test.
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