Former U.S. President Donald Trump defended the proposed Iran nuclear agreement during a press conference following the G7 summit, arguing it averted a prolonged military conflict. “If we hadn’t made the deal with Iran, we’d likely have been dropping bombs for two more years,” Trump said, adding that U.S. allies welcomed the diplomatic development.
G7 Consensus and Strategic Goals
Trump stated he had discussed the issue with G7 leaders and emphasized that none of America’s allies urged continued military operations. He reiterated his administration’s claim of having achieved a “regime change” in Iran—not through direct intervention, but by shifting Tehran’s strategic calculus. According to Trump, Iranian leadership is now expected to adopt a markedly different posture.
Economic Stability and Peace Dividends
The former president also linked the pursuit of peace to economic stability, saying the prospect of de-escalation positively impacted financial markets. He stressed that avoiding a protracted war was essential to prevent an economic crisis—another key motivation behind seeking a diplomatic resolution.
U.S.-Israel Ties and Red Lines on Nuclear Weapons
On relations with Israel, Trump praised his close cooperation with then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling it “exceptional,” while reaffirming the United States’ role as Israel’s principal ally. He underscored a firm U.S. position: Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons. Trump warned that if upcoming negotiations fail to meet American expectations, Washington could resume military action. “If it’s not finalized within 60 days, we go back to bombing,” he stated, clarifying that the core objective remains preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear arms.
Timeline and Context
Trump indicated the new agreement is expected to be signed imminently, noting that Tehran reportedly seeks a deal. Throughout his remarks, he repeatedly tied the current diplomatic momentum to the January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport—a decision he said he made after Israel declined to carry out the operation itself. The strike occurred during Trump’s first term in office.