President Donald Trump announced on Sunday evening the finalization of an agreement that will tentatively bring an end to America's 15-week war with Iran."The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!" Trump noted in a Truth Social post. "I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"'I couldn't believe it.'In a subsequent post, the president said that this "Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the whole Region."The memorandum of understanding was confirmed by Iranian officials as well as by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been acting as a mediator."Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," Sharif posted to X a few minutes before Trump's Truth Social announcement. "The official signing ceremony will be on Friday, 19 June in Switzerland. We would like to thank the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran for their commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict."'The news was welcomed by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun — who expressed hope that "these understandings being transformed into practical steps" may "put a definitive end to the cycle of violence" — and by other leaders around the globe.Iran hawks, particularly in Israel, are not similarly keen over the prospect of ending the conflict in this fashion.Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for instance, rushed to condemn the deal, claiming it was "bad for Israel and for the entire free world. Period."Smotrich noted further that Israel "will have to continue the campaign to topple the regime ourselves and in creative ways."RELATED: Trump boxes Netanyahu's ears over Lebanon offensive, calls him 'f**king crazy': Report Destroyed building in Nabatieh, Lebanon. Abbas FAKIH/AFP/Getty ImagesIsrael's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, also advocated for keeping the conflict alive, stating:We are not partners to this agreement that does not ensure our security, and it does not bind us in any way. We must not compromise on anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah, we must not withdraw from any territory that our fighters have captured and cleared of terror infrastructure, we must not return to a situation where thousands of terrorists sit on the fences of northern settlements, and certainly we must not remain silent for a moment in the face of fire directed at the State of Israel.Alleged attacks on Hezbollah — such as those championed by Ben-Gvir — nearly blew up the peace deal over the weekend, just as escalations in Israel's offensive in Lebanon critically strained negotiations earlier this month. Trump told Axios that the deadly Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday "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."The American president — who reportedly raced to save the deal as Iranians were threatening retaliation — said that he had been shocked to learn of the attack from his advisers."It is so bad — I couldn't believe it. An hour before we are supposed to sign the deal," said Trump.Trump figured the attack — which took place after Hezbollah launched a drone attack on Northern Israel that reportedly caused neither injuries nor damage — was disproportionate. Weeks after calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "f**king crazy," Trump once again blasted the foreign leader."Why did Bibi have to do a f**king attack? I was so pissed off," said Trump. "I let him know. He has no f**king judgment. I let him know that."Trump expressed frustration with Netanyahu in another interview on Sunday, telling the New York Times that the Israeli prime minister, whose criminal trial is ongoing, is "a very difficult guy.""And to be honest with you," continued Trump, "he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours."Netanyahu's former communications adviser, Aviv Bushinsky, emphasized that the Israeli prime minister "needs Trump" and that "evangelicals and many members of the Republican Party" will prevent his relationship with Trump from falling apart.While Netanyahu has yet to publicly address the deal, Israeli officials told Ynet News that Netanyahu made clear to Trump that Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
