Donald Trump is already facing criticism from his Republican base over plans to end the war with Iran after releasing details of the interim 14-point agreement signed on Wednesday.
The president inked the early-stage deal during his tour of the Versailles Palace in France after threatening to resume attacks and kill Iranian officials if they failed to honour their commitments.
The terms included stopping the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but also controversially outlined the financing of Iran’s recovery, sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds.
Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy was among Republicans critical of the deal, saying on Wednesday that “Reagan is rolling over in his grave” and describing the MoU as “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades”.
Mike Pence, who was Trump’s vice president during his first term, acknowledged the Memorandum of Understanding “does smack of the kind of appeasement that our administration rejected in the Obama-Iran nuclear deal”.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, boasted meanwhile that “everything we sought to achieve through military action, we obtained several times over through negotiation”, adding “it was not even comparable”.
Read MoreRead Trump’s 14 point Iran peace deal in full after US announces signing of agreement
Oil prices fall to below $80 as Trump signs US-Iran interim peace deal to end Middle East war
Trump knows his deal with Iran is bad. His closing G7 speech made that very clear
‘I’m blaming JD’: Trump jokes at Vance’s expense on what happens if Iran deal doesn’t work out
Key Points
- President Trump signs deal aimed at ending Iran war while inside Versailles
- Trump jokes he will blame Vance if Iran deal fails
- Pakistan's Sharif deletes post on signing ceremony
- Oil prices fall to $78 a barrel
- Analysis: Why Trump’s Iran deal is little more than a shopping list of capitulations
- Trump's former VP says Iran deal 'smacks of appeasement'
Watch: Trump says it would be 'unfair' for Iran to not have ballistic missiles in U-turn
10:00 , James ReynoldsIsrael in talks with US over Lebanon occupation: report
09:52 , James ReynoldsIsrael is holding negotiations with the U.S. as it seeks to continue its deployment of troops in southern Lebanon, two Israeli officials said on Thursday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, made the comments a day after the U.S. and Iran signed an interim pact that calls for parties to ensure "the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon."
A senior Israeli official close to Israel’s Netanyahu told Reuters that Israel was "conducting stubborn negotiations" with Washington over continuing its deployment of troops in southern Lebanon.
The official said Israel would not back down on its positions, including keeping troops deployed in the area south of Lebanon's Litani River.
A second Israeli official told Reuters that the outcome of the talks would ultimately depend on whether U.S. President Donald Trump "decides to force the issue" by threatening repercussions if Israel does not abide by the interim Iran pact's terms.
‘I’m blaming JD’: Trump jokes at Vance’s expense on what happens if Iran deal doesn’t work out
09:30 , James ReynoldsPresident Donald Trump on Wednesday touted what he called a “historic” agreement with Iran while joking that if the deal falters he will pin the blame on Vice President J.D. Vance.
Speaking at a press conference at the end of the G7 summit in France, Trump defended the memorandum of understanding with Tehran, saying it would end the current conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and “prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
But when asked why he wouldn’t stick around Europe for a signing ceremony set for Friday in Switzerland, the president quipped that he was letting the vice president go in his stead in case the deal goes south.
Trump jokes at Vance’s expense that if Iran deal doesn’t work out: ‘I’m blaming JD’
Hegseth attacks European allies over Iran commitments
08:57 , James ReynoldsU.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is attending a meeting of Nato defence ministers at the alliance HQ in Belgium.
He says that too many Nato allies failed to support the US on its war in Iran, branding it “shameful” that they were denied access to airbases.
He says the Pentagon will launch a six month review of US troop posture in Europe - a ‘real review’ to ensure Nato is moving fast and irreversibly towards Europe leading the alliance.
The US cannot pay more for Nato’s defence than allies do, he adds.
Trump grilled Murdoch on whether he preferred Vance or Rubio - as they were all sat together, report says
08:50 , James ReynoldsDuring an October dinner, President Donald Trump reportedly polled media mogul Rupert Murdoch to get his thoughts on the question flying through Washington ahead of the 2028 presidential election: Who do you like more, Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio?
The two men sat awkwardly nearby as Murdoch responded, according to an excerpt obtained by Axios from the forthcoming book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
Murdoch, who reportedly tried to talk Trump out of choosing Vance in 2024, allegedly responded that Vance “has the potential to be great,” while Rubio “is brilliant.”
Read the full story:
Trump grilled Murdoch on if he liked Vance or Rubio as they sat together: report
Analysis: Why Trump’s Iran deal is little more than a shopping list of capitulations
08:23 , James ReynoldsThere are gaping holes in the 14-point US deal with Iran in which some of the trickiest sticking points have not been addressed, writes chief international correspondent Bel Trew:
Why Trump’s Iran deal is little more than a shopping list of capitulations
Trump's former VP says Iran deal 'smacks of appeasement'
08:22 , James ReynoldsMike Pence, who was Trump’s vice president during his first term, acknowledged the Memorandum of Understanding “does smack of the kind of appeasement that our administration rejected in the Obama-Iran nuclear deal”.
“I would urge the President to take a step back, continue the blockade and pursue a negotiated settlement that commits Iran to dismantling their nuclear program, dismantling this missile program, ends support for terrorist proxies and opens the strait.
“Failing that, we should let our Armed Forces finish the job on our terms,” he wrote on social media.
German growth hit by Iran war energy shock, IMK says
08:15 , ReutersGermany's economy will grow less than previously expected this year and next as the Iran war and a resulting energy price shock weigh on consumption and investment, the IMK economic institute said on Thursday.
The Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK) forecast gross domestic product would expand by 0.6% in 2026 and 0.9% in 2027, cutting its March projections by 0.3 and 0.7 percentage points respectively.
IMK said the outlook assumed the conflict would not escalate further, energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz would normalise later this year and oil and gas infrastructure in Gulf states would not suffer substantial additional damage.
Inflation is expected to average 2.8% in 2026, higher than previously assumed, before easing to 2.3% in 2027.
US and Iran still expected in Switzerland on Friday
07:45 , James ReynoldsThe Swiss government says the plan at present is still for the US and Iran, along with Pakistan, Qatar and other involved countries, to meet at Burgenstock on Friday for initial talks on implementing the peace agreement.
Germany deploys ship to Red Sea for possible Hormuz mission
07:15 , James ReynoldsGermany is deploying two ships to the Red Sea in preparation for a possible military mission in the Strait of Hormuz, Germany's Defence minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday.
"As we speak, our minesweeper Fulda and the supply ship Mosel are sailing through the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea," he told reporters as he arrived for a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Brussels.
Pistorius said approval would be needed from Iran and Oman before any participation in a minesweeping operation, and added any mission would also depend on the developments in further talks between Iran and the United States.
Catch up: Read Trump’s 14 point Iran peace deal in full after US announces signing of agreement
07:12 , James ReynoldsNearly four months after the U.S. started its war with Iran, Donald Trump has signed a long-awaited deal to end the war, restore global shipping and resolve an abiding dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Details of a 14 point plan were previously released by US officials, with an official signing ceremony expected to take place in Switzerland on Friday. However, it emerged on Wednesday evening that it had already been signed by the US president and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said any further Israeli attacks on Lebanon would be considered a breach of the terms of the deal. With Israel having continued its strikes on the country’s south, there remain concerns the deal could still fall apart.
Read Trump’s 14 point Iran peace deal in full after US announces signing of agreement
Vance argues Iran is not a quagmire like the Iraq war
06:59 , Namita SinghIn interviews this week, JD Vance has sought to speak directly to the skeptics in his party, a preview of the difficult explanations he may be pressed to make as a candidate on the war.
On Megyn Kelly's show, the vice president said the critics “believe Iranian propaganda” about the deal. But he acknowledged some of the frustrations on the hawkish right while trying to reassure the anti-interventionists that the Iran conflict isn't the war in Iraq, where he served as a Marine.
“We were never going to get the quagmire that a lot of people were worrying about because Donald Trump is just not George W Bush,” he said.
Democrats have stressed that even as Vance becomes the face of the Iran deal, the fate of any administration official who harbors presidential aspirations — particularly hawkish Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has largely been quiet in the agreement's final phases — will be tied to its outcome.
“I think any member of this administration is going to rise or fall on the basis of the Iran war and the handling of the economy, and I don’t think there are exceptions,” said Senator Brian Schatz.
Criticism of Iran deal continues to build in US after text is released
06:36 , Namita SinghBacklash against the US-Iran peace deal, including from conservatives, began growing this week after the US digitally signed the memorandum of understanding with Iran on Sunday.
Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for vice president JD Vance, said in a statement: “It’s unfortunate that some Republicans are attempting to undermine the President’s efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East and ensure Iran never has a nuclear weapon.”
Officials gave shifting answers about when they would release the text, but leaked copies of a draft were quickly met with anger and scepticism from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, as well as Israel and pro-Israel advocates.
Their criticisms included concerns that the deal, meant to open a two-month negotiating period, seemed to offer Iran wins up front while guaranteeing little in return, and that Trump’s stated reason for launching the conflict, to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, remains unresolved.
In response to the backlash and mounting questions, the US on Wednesday provided the text of the agreement to journalists.
The agreement states that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under rubble, must at minimum be diluted under international supervision. It also states that Iran shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons – a commitment it has made previously.
But beyond stating that the US and Iran will negotiate over Iran's nuclear program, other commitments still need to be worked out.
Criticism on the right persisted after the text was released.
Conservative radio host Erick Erickson, a hawk who has defended the war, said: “This is an American surrender.”
Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, criticised the agreement and said to reporters: “I think the president, unfortunately, is receiving bad advice.”
Vance becomes the face of Trump's tentative deal to end war with Iran
06:14 , Namita SinghJD Vance was supposed to be spending the week promoting his new book, the kind of event a potential presidential candidate like the vice president typically uses to speak to a wide audience about his life and values ahead of a campaign.
Instead, the rollout of Vance’s second book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, has been largely crowded out by something else he’s put his name on: the tentative deal to end the Iran war.
The Republican vice president has embraced the role of chief defender of the agreement he and President Donald Trump signed with Tehran, giving a series of interviews touting the memorandum of understanding as a success and releasing a video championing it.
It’s a striking emergence for a politician who was known for his skepticism of foreign military interventions and who seemed reluctant to speak on the conflict when Trump launched it in late February.
The vice president is poised to yoke himself further to the conflict’s outcome on Friday, when he’s expected to travel to Switzerland to kick off a new phase of negotiations with Iran. He was originally expected to attend a formal signing ceremony for the deal, but Trump formally signed it on Wednesday instead.
Vance becoming a hype man for the agreement seems to be an all-in gamble that, should he decide to seek the White House in 2028, voters will reward him for being the face of ending an unpopular conflict.
It’s also setting Vance up as the presumptive fall-guy should the deal with Iran falter.
Trump joked about such a possibility on Wednesday.
“If it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” Trump said.
Trump jokes he will blame Vance if Iran deal fails
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDonald Trump suggested he would blame vice president JD Vance if the Iran peace deal failed.
Asked about the possibility of blaming Vance if the deal fails, Trump replied: "I like that idea, sure."
"This way, if it works out, I'm going to take the credit. If it doesn't work out, I'm blaming JD," the president continued.
"You better be careful, JD," he said.
Vance has become a leading administration voice promoting the initial agreement to end the war in Iran, even as Trump has occasionally contradicted facets of the agreement that Vance has announced publicly.
Trump knows his deal with Iran is bad. His closing G7 speech made that very clear
04:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIf you’d like to know how Donald Trump’s closing speech at the G7 went, it’s probably best to start at the part where he asked Scott Bessent whether the stock market was smarter than his Treasury secretary.
“No, sir,” Bessent dutifully replied. He was disagreeing with a notion Trump had just posited, but it was clear from his tone of voice that he didn’t mean to disagree.
He was simply trying to make real-time sense of what his boss had just said, which happened to be the semi-coherent and utterly baffling: “The stock market is more brilliant than anybody there is, including people on this stage, apart from me. What do you think, Scott, is the stock market more brilliant than you?”
Yes, sir? No, sir? What, sir? It was clear at that point, just a couple of minutes in, that nobody — including his own team, or perhaps especially his own team — had any idea what Trump was talking about.
More here.
Trump knows his deal with Iran is bad. His closing G7 speech made that very clear
Pakistan's Sharif deletes post on signing ceremony
04:26 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPakistan's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif deleted a post on the US-Iran deal and later reposted it without a reference to the Friday signing ceremony.
Sharif had written on X that there would still be a formal signing ceremony on Friday, after both sides had already signed a memorandum of agreement.
Sharif briefly removed the post a short time later, however. Then, he reposted most of the same text but removed a reference to Friday's ceremony.
That could cast doubt on whether the ceremony will happen.
Oil prices fall to $78 a barrel
04:25 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices fell in early trading this morning after the US and Iran signed an interim agreement that would end the Iran war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and waive US sanctions on Tehran's oil, resolving the largest energy supply disruption in history.
Brent crude futures were down 89 cents, or 1.12 per cent, at $78.66 a barrel, and US West Texas Intermediate fell 98 cents, or 1.28 per cent, to $75.81 a barrel.
Watch: Trump says unfair' for Iran to not have ballistic missiles if others have them
04:17 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarTrump threatens he could still resume attacks
04:16 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump has threatened that he could resume attacks and kill Iranian officials if they failed to honour their commitments after both nations signed the peace deal on Wednesday.
"We're going to bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement," Trump said of Iran at a press conference.
"I don't want them to. I want them to honour the agreement."
He also called Iranians "smart people" as US and Iranian negotiators work on a permanent truce over the coming 60 days, which Trump said he hoped would usher in peace in the Middle East and lower oil prices.
Fox News host turns blame on JD Vance for Iran negotiations: ‘Wasn’t the right person’
04:01 , Graeme MassieAustralia relaxes Middle East travel warning in boost for airlines and travellers
03:00 , James ReynoldsAustralians would be able to enjoy foreign holidays at cheaper rates after the government significantly relaxed its travel warnings for several Middle Eastern countries.
The government lifted its blanket travel bans for Gulf nations on Tuesday after US president Donald Trump announced a peace deal with Iran.
The deal is expected to be formally signed in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday.
Foreign minister Penny Wong confirmed that the "do not travel" advisory had been lowered for the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Israel, and Kuwait.
Australia relaxes Middle East travel warning in boost for airlines and travellers
Trump says sanctions will be removed once Iran 'behaves' - ICYMI
02:01 , Alex CroftDonald Trump on Wednesday suggested that sanctions on Iran would be removed once "they behave."
"As far as sanctions are concerned, at some point, you know, we have sanctions which will never let them rebuild. They would have no money, they would be in poverty, the 91 million people would starve, so something will happen as soon as they behave. When they behave, we're going to let that go. We're going to have to. I put sanctions on a lot of people, and then I let them go," Trump told reporters.
He also suggested that frozen funds could be returned.
"We have taken their money, it's not our money, it's their money, and we froze it. At a certain point in time I guess we're going to have to give it back," Trump said. "If we didn't give it back, nobody would ever invest in the dollar again."
WATCH: President Trump signs deal aimed at ending Iran war while inside Versailles
01:33 , Josh Marcus
On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump ceremonially signed the memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the Iran war.
The Republican inked the document during a visit to France’s Versailles palace after the G7 summit.
French President Emmanuel Macron and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looked on with approval as the Republican used a heavy ink pen to seal the deal.
“It’s signed, yeah,” Trump told reporters as he left dinner with Macron. “I signed it in Versailles.”
You can watch video of the historic moment here, via the White House.
Watch: Trump refers to Obama as 'stupid SOB' in Iran rant
01:00 , James ReynoldsFamily of British couple in Tehran prison want loved ones freed as part of Trump’s Iran peace deal
Thursday 18 June 2026 00:00 , James ReynoldsThe family of a British couple held in Iran are urging Donald Trump to push for a hostage exchange as part of a deal to end the war.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman, from East Sussex, were sentenced to 10 years in Tehran’s Evin prison last year after Iran charged them with espionage during a motorcycle trip around the world. They deny the charges.
The couple have been on hunger strike for 39 and 30 days respectively, fearing “there is no other way to be heard” having effectively been stranded without legal representation, according to the family.
Read the full story:
Family of British couple in Tehran prison want loved ones freed under Iran peace deal
Trump thanks Putin and Xi for being 'neutral' during war
Wednesday 17 June 2026 23:30 , Alex CroftDonald Trump on Wednesday thanked China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin for what he called their neutrality during the war with Iran.
"I just want to thank them because they made it a lot better," Trump said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Group of Seven conference in Evian-les-Bains, France, adding that both leaders had been "neutral."
60-day ceasefire period begins today - Tehran
Wednesday 17 June 2026 23:26 , Alex CroftThe 60-day ceasefire period between the US and Iran has started today, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said.
He provided some extra details on the agreement - here they are:
- Further Israeli attacks on Lebanon will be considered a breach of commitment.
- The management of the Strait of Hormuz will be the responsibility of Iran and Oman.
- Sanctions on Iranian oil should be lifted and Tehran should be able to start selling oil today and for the next 60 days.
- The US should not issue any new sanctions nor boost its military presence in the region within this 60 days.
- Fees will be received in exchange for services given to ships - there was not more clarity issued on this point.
- Iran’s nuclear materials will not be sent outside the country.
Trump and Iran sign MOU agreement
Wednesday 17 June 2026 23:18 , Alex CroftDonald Trump on Wednesday signed the memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war with Iran, a White House official has said.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the text of the agreement between the United States and Iran has been officially signed by the presidents of both sides, Iran state media reported early on Thursday.
Trump's Iran deal sets tone for talks
Wednesday 17 June 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsG7 chiefs on Wednesday welcomed the preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran and said they were ready to help implement it.
They said they would make efforts to diversify energy supply routes to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked for most of the duration of its war with the US.
Trump cautioned today that the memorandum of understanding with Iran was not final, and that he could resume a bombing campaign if it was not honoured.
“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, OK?” he said.
Although European allies appeared supportive of the preliminary memorandum in public, diplomats cautioned that getting a lasting deal on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programme as well as its support for proxy forces in the Middle East is no small challenge.
Watch: Trump jokes he'll blame Vance if Iran deal doesn't work out
Wednesday 17 June 2026 22:39 , Alex Croft Wednesday 17 June 2026 22:21 , Alex CroftNo talks to establish Israeli military base in Somaliland, defence minister says
Wednesday 17 June 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsThere is no Israeli military presence in Somaliland and no talks for Israel to open a base there, Somaliland's Defence Minister Mohamed Yusef Ali told Reuters on Wednesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of a business conference in Tel Aviv, he said Israel was training Somaliland's military and police, but called reports that Israel was in negotiations to establish a military base in Somaliland "rumours".
Israel recognised Somaliland as an independent state last December, a move Somalia rejected and termed a "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty.
Trump says 'nobody' attacked Iran girls' school on purpose
Wednesday 17 June 2026 21:41 , Alex CroftWe earlier hears from US president Donald Trump, who gave a rambling speech to the G7 on Wednesday.
He was asked by one reporter about the strike on a girls’ school in February which killed more than 150 people, most of whom were schoolgirls.
“Nobody" purposefully attacked a girls' school in Iran in February, he said, citing an investigation into the incident.
"That's under investigation," Trump said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Group of Seven conference in Evian-les-Bains, France, adding that mistakes are made in war. "Nobody did that on purpose."
Vessel fired at by small boat near Yemeni coast - UKMTO
Wednesday 17 June 2026 21:20 , Alex CroftThe United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Wednesday that it had received a report of an incident 105 nautical miles northeast of Yemen's Aden, adding that the crew were safe.
"A vessel has been approached to within 4 meters and fired upon by 2 skiffs with an unknown number of armed persons on board.
“The vessel has deployed security team and returned fire. The suspect vessels have now disengaged", UKMTO said.
Doubts emerge from within Trump’s own team after president celebrates Iran deal
Wednesday 17 June 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsEven key members of Donald Trump’s administration have cast doubt over his peace deal with Iran and think Tehran won’t stick to its side of the bargain, according to a new report.
On Sunday, the president ceremoniously announced that a deal with the Islamic Republic had been reached and that the beleaguered Strait of Hormuz would be re-opened. “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” he wrote in a Truth Social post on his 80th birthday.
Despite the announcement, a report suggests that some the closest members of Trump’s top team, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, hawkish defense secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA director John Ratcliffe, have expressed concerns about the arrangement.
Read the full story:
From Hegseth to Rubio, even Trump’s top team doubts Iran deal, report says
Senior US official says both sides can still walk away from deal
Wednesday 17 June 2026 20:40 , Alex CroftA senior US official read out the text of a signed agreement with Iran on Wednesday.
You can read that draft document here.
But the official said that the parties can walk away until a binding deal is reached
Trump says sanctions will be removed once Iran 'behaves'
Wednesday 17 June 2026 20:19 , Alex CroftDonald Trump on Wednesday suggested that sanctions on Iran would be removed once "they behave."
"As far as sanctions are concerned, at some point, you know, we have sanctions which will never let them rebuild. They would have no money, they would be in poverty, the 91 million people would starve, so something will happen as soon as they behave. When they behave, we're going to let that go. We're going to have to. I put sanctions on a lot of people, and then I let them go," Trump told reporters.
He also suggested that frozen funds could be returned.
"We have taken their money, it's not our money, it's their money, and we froze it. At a certain point in time I guess we're going to have to give it back," Trump said. "If we didn't give it back, nobody would ever invest in the dollar again."
Wednesday 17 June 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsHas Trump achieved his goals in the war with Iran?
Wednesday 17 June 2026 19:29 , James ReynoldsShortly after the US and Israel attacked Iran, Donald Trump laid out a host of objectives, from destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities to ensuring Tehran can never have a nuclear weapon.
With a preliminary peace deal now in place, what has Trump achieved?
Missiles and drones
Before the war, Iran held the largest ballistic stockpile in the Middle East, with between 2,500 and 6,000 missiles of different types.
Roughly one month into the war, U.S. sources told Reuters that one-third of that arsenal was destroyed, with another third likely damaged, destroyed or buried.
It is unclear how many missiles Iran has left, but the country still has the ability to reach US allies - most recently on June 6, when it launched salvos at Kuwait and Bahrain, and June 7, when it fired missiles at Israel.
Military capabilities
The US says it has degraded Iran's conventional military ability to project power in the region or threaten US operations.
It claims to have destroyed at least 161 Iranian naval ships and 82 per cent of its air defence systems. But Iran was still able to shut the Strait of Hormuz for the duration of the conflict.
Nuclear programme
Trump has repeatedly said that his main goal is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Tehran has consistently said it has no intention of building a bomb and its program is for peaceful purposes.
But the war has not significantly changed Iran's nuclear capability. US intelligence last month estimated that Iran would need less than a year to produce a nuclear weapon - the same timeline it laid out following the June 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iranian proxies
Trump said on March 2 at the White House that Tehran cannot be allowed to continue to arm and fund the armed proxy groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen that Iran has relied on for decades to project power and harass enemies.
US Admiral Brad Cooper said in May that Iran no longer has the ability to reliably supply those groups with advanced weapons, though he did not specify what that meant.
Regime change
Trump encouraged Iranian protesters to overthrow their rulers before the war began and said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death on February 28 was their "single greatest chance" to seize the government.
The war has failed to dislodge Iran’s government, but supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed and replaced by his son at the start of the conflict.
Trump in recent weeks has refrained from repeating his calls for the toppling of Iranian leaders.
In pictures: Devastation to communities in southern Lebanon as war rages
Wednesday 17 June 2026 19:00 , James Reynolds
More than 1,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since ceasefire supposed to take place
Wednesday 17 June 2026 18:20 , Alex CroftMore than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since a ceasefire was supposed to come into place last October, the health ministry has said.
Authorities say Israeli forces have committed more than 3,000 violations of the ceasefire, killing at least 1,005 Palestinians and injuring 3,157, despite the agreement of a ceasefire which came into effect on 10 October.
Although the scale of fighting has declined f=since it came into place, Israeli attacks have not halted and it has continued encroaching beyond the agreed yellow line, forcing Palestinians to live in an increasingly small section of the strip.
Fikr Shalltoot, Gaza director at Medical Aid for Palestinians, said: "We mourn as Gaza reaches yet another tragic milestone – a thousand people killed since leaders announced an end to the violence in October. Thousands more people who were told the worst was over are still burying their loved ones.”
Watch: Trump hopes Iran war will be in 'rearview mirror'
Wednesday 17 June 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsTrump claims US prevented nuclear holocaust by attacking Iran
Wednesday 17 June 2026 17:46 , Alex CroftDonald Trump has now claimed that the US prevented a nuclear holocaust by launching its war on Iran.
“Think of what Israel's getting - they're not going to be nuked,” Trump said.
“I told Bibi [Netanyahu], the biggest risk was that [Iran] drop a nuclear weapon into the middle of Israel. They'd only need one, and there would be no war.”
The US president added: “We stopped nuclear holocaust, and it stopped. There's not going to be any of that.”
Preventing the development of Iran’s nuclear programme, and stopping the Tehran regime from producing a weapon, was always hailed as one of the key aims of Trump’s war.
But Iran has consistently denied that it is seeking to produce a nuclear weapon, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states there is no evidence that Tehran is actively seeking to manufacture a nuclear weapon.
The IAEA, however, says it cannot verify that the programme is exclusively peaceful as Tehran is enriching uranium to high purities and has limited access for inspectors.
Vital that Iran, Hezbollah and Israel do not resume fighting - Macron
Wednesday 17 June 2026 17:41 , Alex CroftWe’ve heard from French president Emmanuel Macron, who earlier gave a speech at the G7 summit.
He said that it is vital that Iran, Hezbollah and Israel do not resume fighting, adding that he supported a preliminary deal between the United States and Iran to end their war.
"It's a good deal and one that we back," said Macron.
Trump says Iran deal will be signed shortly
Wednesday 17 June 2026 17:28 , Alex CroftTrump has now said his new pact with Iran will be signed shortly and that Iran wants to sign a deal.
"So, the deal we reached with Iran on Sunday will be signed shortly, tomorrow, maybe the next day," he tells reporters in the G7.
Earlier in the day, the US president had said his new agreement with Iran was not final and he could resume the war if he is unsatisfied.
Trump says Israel has 'trashed' Lebanon and 'could behave better'
Wednesday 17 June 2026 17:26 , Alex CroftTrump now criticises Israel for its conduct in Lebanon, saying they “could behave better” and that he feels “very bad for Lebanon”.
It is a long-winded speech and doesn’t seem close to ending - one of those in which the US president appears to be paying little heed to a script in front of him.
“I'm not saying they shouldn't protect themselves when two drones are shot into the desert, [but] you don't have to knock down buildings in Beirut,” he says.
“They could behave better, and frankly, they could do a better job. I love them as a partner.
“They could do a much better job with Hezbollah. I feel very bad for Lebanon,” he adds.
“Lebanon has been a great culture. It was a great, they had the professors, the doctors, the lawyers. It was an incredible culture. For the last 50/60 years they have been just trashed.”
Trump praises ‘amazing’ Netanyahu who ‘gets a little excited sometimes’
Wednesday 17 June 2026 17:17 , Alex CroftDonald Trump has now spoken on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he said is an “amazing prime minister”.
The US president had grown increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu after Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, which have brought jeopardy to the fragile truce between Washington and Tehran.
“Bibi Netanyahu, who happens to be a good man, gets a little excited sometimes, but he happens to be a very good man who had an amazing partnership. He's been an amazing prime minister,” Trump says.
“We have a little dispute over in Lebanon. I say he can do a little softer touch, you don't have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that's from Hezbollah.”
The US president adds that it has been an “amazing partnership”, adding that “we’re the big partner, he’s the very small partner”.
Trump: We could have continued for two years but wanted to avoid economic catastrophe
Wednesday 17 June 2026 17:09 , Alex CroftDonald Trump is holding a press conference at the G7.
The US president says he could have continued dropping bombs on Iran for two years - but did not want to provoke an “economic catastrophe”.
World leaders have flocked to thank him for ending the war, and have stated that they love the peace deal, he claims.
He also claims that there has been a form of regime change in Iran. “I think they're going to behave much differently. I think they see a different way of life that they would never expose to,” Trump says.
Stay with us for the latest lines.
Analysis: Netanyahu’s nightmare has become reality with Trump’s Iran deal
Wednesday 17 June 2026 17:00 , James ReynoldsAs Donald Trump crows about peace in the region, ominous signs are coming from Israel and Hezbollah, writes chief international correspondent Bel Trew:
Netanyahu’s nightmare has become reality with Trump’s Iran deal
Beijing calls for proper handling of Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 17 June 2026 16:43 , Alex CroftChina's foreign minister Wang Yi has said that the issue of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz should be properly addressed, an official Chinese statement showed, following a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
Wang also reiterated China's welcome for the memorandum of understanding reached between Iran and the United States, and voiced support for Iran safeguarding its sovereignty and security, according to the statement.
Recap: Trump’s peace deal to allow Iran to sell oil and fuel immediately in major concession
Wednesday 17 June 2026 16:30 , James ReynoldsAn emerging peace agreement between Donald Trump and Iran will allow Tehran to begin selling oil and fuel immediately, US officials said, in what appeared to be a major concession from Washington to end the conflict.
An official told Reuters that Tehran would be permitted to sell its oil after the memorandum of understanding is signed this week, in return for Iran allowing free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and not attempting to acquire a nuclear weapon.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran would receive sustained relief from sanctions if it abided by key US demands. Officials told the newspaper that they believed “sweeteners” were required for Iran to accept a deal.
Trump’s peace deal to allow Iran to sell oil and fuel immediately in major concession
