The US President said an agreement with Tehran remained close despite an Israeli attack on Beirut that he blamed for delaying the planned signing, while Iran warned the strike could derail talks.
Now it is scheduled for a few hours from now,” Trump said in a phone call to the Axios news outlet.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADSpeaking to Axios, Trump claimed the agreement had been close to completion before Israel carried out the attack in the Lebanese capital.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADIranian Brigadier General Mohammad Jafar Asadi said Sunday that the latest Israeli attack “will not go unanswered”.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also played down concerns that the Israeli strike would derail the process, saying officials believed the talks were moving forward.
The US President said an agreement with Tehran remained close despite an Israeli attack on Beirut that he blamed for delaying the planned signing, while Iran warned the strike could derail talks.
People gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut’s southern suburbs on June 14, 2026.- AFP
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said a much-anticipated agreement with Iran could still be finalised within hours, despite a setback caused by an Israeli strike on Beirut that he said disrupted the timing of the deal.
“It shook it up. It delayed the signing by a few hours. It was supposed to be now. Now it is scheduled for a few hours from now,” Trump said in a phone call to the Axios news outlet.
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Speaking to Axios, Trump claimed the agreement had been close to completion before Israel carried out the attack in the Lebanese capital. He said the strike forced a delay but insisted negotiations had not collapsed.
Trump expressed anger over the Israeli operation, saying he was surprised by the timing of the attack, which came shortly before the planned signing. He argued that the strike should not have taken place while diplomatic efforts were nearing a breakthrough.
The comments came after Iran protested the Israeli action, raising concerns that the incident could derail months of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
However, Trump maintained that discussions remained alive, saying all parties should avoid steps that could damage prospects for a broader regional settlement.
Tehran has repeatedly insisted that any agreement to halt the war must include the parallel conflict in Lebanon, where Israel has been pursuing a campaign against the Iran-backed movement Hezbollah.
But after days of momentum building towards a deal, Sunday’s strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs – a Hezbollah stronghold – prompted Iran’s chief negotiator to question the point of continuing peace talks.
The attack “showed that the United States either lacks the will to implement its commitments or lacks the ability to do so”, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X.
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“If you do not have the will or the ability to fulfil your commitments, then there is no point in talking about continuing down this path,” he added.
Trump – who over weeks of negotiations has repeatedly declared an accord with Iran was all but concluded – said after the attack that a deal was still at hand, urging those involved not to “blow it”.
“We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down,” Trump said on social media.
“This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day,” he added, possibly a reference to his hopes of a signing on Sunday, his 80th birthday.
The last time Israel hit the Beirut suburbs, it sparked one of the strongest jolts yet to an April ceasefire, with Iran firing off a retaliatory missile barrage and Israel responding with strikes.
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Iranian Brigadier General Mohammad Jafar Asadi said Sunday that the latest Israeli attack “will not go unanswered”.
Israel’s military, meanwhile, said it was “preparing for potential fire toward the territory of the state of Israel in the coming hours”.
Despite the criticism, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran’s top security body had decided that diplomacy should continue. He emphasised that the Supreme National Security Council remains responsible for decisions concerning both conflict and negotiations.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also played down concerns that the Israeli strike would derail the process, saying officials believed the talks were moving forward.
“From all I know, we are on track,” Hegseth said, adding that the question was not whether an agreement would happen, but when.
Qatar pushes final-stage diplomacy
Qatar, which has been involved in mediation efforts, sent officials to Tehran on Sunday to help move discussions towards completion, according to a diplomat familiar with the talks.
Iran’s state-linked Fars news agency reported that Tehran was communicating its detailed position to Qatari representatives, though uncertainty remained over the timing of any formal agreement.
Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier suggested that the deal could be signed on Sunday, while Iran indicated that an agreement was more likely in the coming days.
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The expected arrangement is likely to be concluded electronically rather than through a traditional signing ceremony.
Major disputes remain unresolved
Despite progress, several critical issues continue to complicate the negotiations.
One of the biggest disagreements involves the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global energy shipments passes. Iran has sought to retain control over the waterway, while the US has rejected restrictions on international shipping.
The dispute intensified after Tehran imposed measures requiring vessels to seek approval before passing through the strait. Washington responded with restrictions targeting Iranian ports.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said the agreement under discussion includes removal of the US blockade.
The future of Iran’s nuclear programme remains another major obstacle. Tehran insists its nuclear activities are peaceful, but the US and its allies have long expressed concerns over Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Araghchi said Iran’s enriched uranium could only be addressed through dilution inside the country. Trump, however, has previously argued that the material should be removed and destroyed.
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The US President said that once tensions ease, Washington would take steps to “downblend and destroy” Iran’s enriched uranium, either inside Iran or in the United States.
With inputs from agencies
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