Trump says U.S.-Iran accord to be signed electronically within hours after Israeli strike on Beirut delays the deal
President Trump announced that a memorandum of understanding with Iran to end the war will be signed electronically within hours, though an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs delayed the signing and drew sharp threats from Tehran.
The push for a Sunday signing
A U.S.-Iran framework agreement that would end the months-long war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the naval blockade on Iranian ports was on the verge of being signed on Sunday, 14 June 2026, according to President Donald Trump and Pakistani mediators. Speaking to Fox News and Axios, Trump said the signing would take place electronically “within hours,” to be followed by an in-person ceremony in Europe the following week. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has led mediation efforts, had told reporters on Saturday that a deal would be finalised within 24 hours and that a “technical talks” round would follow.
Immediately after the signing, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened for everyone.
Tehran, however, had been markedly more cautious. Foreign ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei told IRNA that the exact timing remained uncertain and that the signing would not happen “tomorrow” but in “the coming days.” The semi-official Fars news agency cited a source close to the Iranian negotiating team saying Tehran had not yet taken a final decision on the protocol.
The Beirut strike and its fallout
On Sunday morning, Israel launched an airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, in what it described as a response to three drone launches against northern Israel that it attributed to Hezbollah. Lebanon’s health ministry said three people were killed. The strike infuriated Trump, who told Axios the attack had delayed the signing by several hours.
Why did Netanyahu launch that damn attack? I was very angry. I told him so. He completely lacks wisdom.
It delayed the signing for a few hours. It was supposed to happen now. It is now scheduled for a few hours from now.
The Israeli Channel 12 reported that Trump had spoken to Netanyahu and informed him of the progress on the deal, though the timing of that call was not disclosed.
Iran’s response: threats and ultimatums
After the strike, Iranian officials escalated their rhetoric. Parliament speaker and chief nuclear negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X that the attack on Dahiyeh showed the United States “either lacks the will to honour its commitments or the capacity to do so.” He added: “If you lack the will or the capacity to keep your commitments, there is no point in talking about continuing on this path.”
Giving the green light to such attacks will not bring about any diplomatic concessions.
The Supreme National Security Council issued its own statement, saying the response of the “fighters of Islam” was imminent. National Security Council secretary Major General Mohammad Bagher Zulqadr declared: “Lebanon is our soul, and we will not accept the crossing of our red lines. The response is forthcoming.” The IRGC likewise threatened retaliatory strikes, while Tasnim news agency reported the cancellation of flights from western Iranian airports until further notice. Hezbollah continued attacks near Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel.
What the draft MoU contains
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the final draft of the memorandum of understanding spans Tehran’s nuclear programme, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. exemptions from oil sanctions. Under the draft, Iran would immediately reopen the waterway to all commercial vessels, while the U.S. would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports. Washington would also refrain from imposing new sanctions until a final agreement is reached, with a 60-day window set for concluding technical negotiations. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later confirmed that the arrangement includes provisions for managing the strait and ending the blockade.
A volatile countdown
Despite Trump’s insistence that the deal remains on track, the timeline is complicated by the 7.5-hour time difference between Washington and Tehran: Sunday in Washington becomes Monday in Tehran. A small anti-deal protest was reported outside the foreign ministry in Mashhad, reflecting hardline opposition. Trump is due to attend a G7 summit in France from Monday to Wednesday, where the war — which began on 28 February with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran — is expected to dominate talks. The conflict has killed thousands, primarily in Iran and Lebanon, and has shaken the global economy since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Pakistani PM Sharif says US-Iran deal will be sealed within 24 hours, mentioning electronic signing.
- Israeli airstrike hits Beirut's southern suburbs, killing three; Hezbollah launches drones at northern Israel.
- Trump tells Axios the strike delayed the signing by a few hours but insists it will still happen on Sunday.
- Iran's Ghalibaf and the Supreme National Security Council issue warnings, questioning US commitment.
- Trump repeats to Fox News that electronic signing will take place within hours; Pakistan says final arrangements are underway.
