US President Donald Trump has defended his administration’s agreement with Iran, dismissing critics who say the deal offers too many concessions and insisting it has already delivered economic benefits.
Trump’s comments came a day after he and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed an accord aimed at ending the recent conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.
In a social media post on Thursday, Trump described opponents of the agreement as “fools,” pointing to falling oil prices and gains in the stock market as evidence that the deal was working.
The agreement was signed during a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles following the G7 summit.
The accord, mediated in part by Shehbaz Sharif, provides for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the suspension of US oil sanctions on Iran, while both sides enter a 60-day negotiating period focused on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Macron welcomed the agreement, saying it creates an opportunity for peace and renewed maritime trade through one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
Under the framework, Iran is expected to dilute portions of its enriched uranium stockpile under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, while broader economic measures, including a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund backed by regional countries, would depend on a final settlement.
However, the agreement has drawn criticism from political figures in both Washington and Tehran.
US Senator Bill Cassidy described the deal as a major foreign policy mistake, arguing that it does not sufficiently address Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, insisted the agreement does not affect the country’s ballistic missile programme. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran’s defence capabilities would not be subject to negotiations.
The deal has also raised questions about the future of related regional conflicts, particularly in Lebanon, where hostilities involving Hezbollah and Israel have eased but not ended.
Technical discussions on implementing the agreement are expected to begin in Switzerland, where officials from both countries are scheduled to meet in the coming days.
