Iran deal will lead to ‘a lot of success’ for the world - Trump

EVIAN-LES-BAINS (AP):

President Donald Trump started his visit to the Group of Seven (G7) summit yesterday by hailing his agreement aimed at ending the US war with Iran as a potential breakthrough for global security.

At a meeting with the summit’s host, French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump declared it was promising — albeit not a guarantee — that the US was finally turning the page in its relationship with long-time adversary Iran.

“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly, the oil [price] is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” Trump said. He added, “The Iran deal that we made is going to bring a lot of success to the world.”

With the agreement, the Republican US president made it clear that he arrived in Evian-les-Bains with the wind at his back for talks with G7 leaders, including some who’ve been sharply critical of his management of the 15-week-old conflict, which has led to a surge in global energy prices.

Neither the White House nor Iran published the final agreement or revealed many details. Trump, however, said the memorandum of understanding would likely be released after it’s signed on Friday.

Sealing an agreement before jetting off to the summit might change the dynamic of the three-day gathering for Trump. He’s had friction with Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni  over failing to consult them before the decision to go to war.

Macron, at the start of the meeting, congratulated Trump for finding a way to an agreement.

“It’s a very important matter for [the] peace of the whole world,” Macron said.

Trump has pushed back on the four European leaders — members of the NATO military alliance — for their lack of support for the US in the conflict.

He’s expected to discuss with the leaders the demining of the Strait of Hormuz. Britain and France have expressed interest in assisting with the demining once the conflict is paused. Fear of potential mines is among the reasons tanker traffic has come to a halt during the war, and quickly clearing them will be crucial to regaining the confidence of commercial vessels.

Macron said France was ready to move within days to deploy assets, including mine-clearing vessels, to the region to help.

As the summit’s host, Macron invited the leaders of three nations that aren’t part of the G7 — Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — to take part in a session on the Middle East on Tuesday, when Iran is expected to be a central focus.