Trump Says Iran Deal Failure Can Blame Vance, G7 Remarks Draw Attention

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that if a deal to end the war with Iran fails, he would be happy to blame Vice President JD Vance.

"If the deal is done, credit to me. If not, I'll blame Vance," Trump joked after a reporter suggested that sending the vice president to sign the agreement with Iran in the coming days was setting Vance up as a scapegoat.

Trump made the remarks to reporters at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, as a senior U.S. official separately read the text of the so-called memorandum of understanding with Iran to reporters during a conference call, and two Republican senators attacked the agreement.

The text of the agreement requires Israel to immediately cease military operations in Lebanon and Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within at least 60 days without collecting tolls.

Among the 14 separate clauses of the memorandum of understanding is a U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at addressing how to deal with Iran's stockpile of high-enriched uranium.

One official argued on the call that the U.S. currently has no urgent need to enter Iran to retrieve these materials, because the bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities last summer was so successful that the materials had been buried deep underground.

"Because of the success of Operation Midnight Hammer, these nuclear materials are buried very, very deep," the official said of materials the administration had said it wanted to remove. Operation Midnight Hammer refers to the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025.

Since launching the war on February 28, Trump has repeatedly argued that the U.S. needs to attack Iran again because the Islamic Republic poses an imminent threat of developing a nuclear weapon. But the senior official's suggestion that these nuclear materials have been inaccessible since last year appeared to undermine Trump's argument.

In his video address announcing the war, Trump said containing Iran's nuclear ambitions was his reason for the attack.

"They were trying to rebuild their nuclear program and continue developing long-range missiles that now threaten our cherished friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed abroad, and soon the U.S. homeland," he said at the time.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana posted on X that the deal was "the worst foreign policy mistake in decades."

"Iran's nuclear ambitions are not contained, they have tasted the benefits of threatening the Strait of Hormuz, and they will do it again," Cassidy said. "Now, under this deal, Iran can build brand new infrastructure. Before the war, the Strait was open, Iran was crushed by sanctions, and 13 service members were alive. Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have spent billions more on gas, sanctions will be lifted, and the bombing has stopped."

Republican Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina told reporters on Capitol Hill: "Since the first kinetic strike, it has cost $100 billion. We lost two F-18s and several other aircraft. Thirteen dead. Several of our partners in the Middle East were attacked. Three hundred sixty-five wounded."

"I need more than 14 clauses," Tillis said.

Trump's comment that he would rather have Vance attend the signing ceremony came at the very end of a press conference, when he gave the final question to Fox News' Peter Doocy, who noted he was already in Europe.

Doocy asked: "Why not stay to sign this Iran peace deal?"

Trump replied: "I might." But Trump hinted he might not.

"It's a memorandum of understanding," Trump said. "It's very important, but probably not the kind of document I should sign."

Doocy continued: "There's this implication that you're sending the vice president—if the deal goes well and works out great, you look like a genius for sending him."

"If it doesn't, it's the vice president's fault?" Doocy asked.

Trump replied: "I like that idea."

"Yeah, so if it works, the credit's mine. If it doesn't, I'll blame JD," Trump said.

"You better watch out, JD. He'll turn the plane around and get the hell out of here. Yeah, I like that idea. I think it's a good idea," the president said.

Full Text of the Memorandum of Understanding

Full Text of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran (Islamabad)

A senior U.S. official read the agreement text to reporters during a background call Wednesday—

The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, in good faith, have reached the following agreement on a certain date:

1. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran and its allies in this war, by signing this Memorandum of Understanding, declare an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and from now on commit not to launch any war or military action against each other, to refrain from mutual threats or use of force, and to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final agreement will confirm the permanent end of war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.

2. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs.

3. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiate and reach a final agreement within a maximum of 60 days (subject to extension by mutual consent).

4. Upon signing this Memorandum of Understanding, the United States will immediately begin to lift the naval blockade and any interference or obstacles against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, vessel passage will be proportional to the resumed pre-war traffic of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States further commits to withdraw its forces from the vicinity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final agreement is reached.

5. Upon signing this Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make its best efforts to arrange for safe passage of commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, with no fees for the first 60 days only. Commercial vessel passage will begin immediately, taking into account the need for the Islamic Republic of Iran to remove technical and military obstacles and clear mines, and will return to normal within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will engage in dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman and consult with other Persian Gulf states along the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states, to determine the future management and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz.

6. The United States commits, together with regional partners, to develop a clear, mutually agreed plan for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with a minimum amount of $300 billion. The implementation mechanism for this plan will be finalized within 60 days as part of the final agreement. All necessary licenses, exemptions, and permits for related financial transactions will be issued by the United States.

7. The United States commits to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including UN Security Council resolutions, International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors resolutions, and all U.S. unilateral sanctions (including primary and secondary sanctions), according to a timetable agreed in the final agreement. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States acknowledge the extreme importance of the above issue of terminating sanctions and express their intention to address these issues immediately in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.

8. The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates that it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposal of enriched material stockpiles through a mechanism to be jointly agreed, in accordance with the timetable in paragraph 7, with the minimal method being on-site dilution under IAEA supervision. Both parties also agree to discuss uranium enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the nuclear needs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on a satisfactory framework agreed in the final agreement. The final agreement will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledge the extreme importance of the above nuclear issues and express their intention to address these issues immediately in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.

9. Until the final agreement is reached, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status of its nuclear program, and the United States will not impose any new sanctions or deploy additional forces in the region.

10. The United States commits that, from the time of signing this Memorandum of Understanding until sanctions are lifted, the U.S. Treasury Department will issue exemptions for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, as well as all related services (including banking transactions, insurance, transportation, etc.).

11. The United States commits to make the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran fully available. After implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will jointly agree on procedures for releasing these funds in negotiations. Such funds, whether retained in the original accounts or transferred, shall be fully available for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States commits to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations for this purpose.

12. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to establish an implementation mechanism to monitor the successful implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding and future compliance with the final agreement.

13. After the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, and subject to the implementation and continuous execution of the measures in paragraphs 14, 5, 10, and 11, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin negotiations solely on the final agreement regarding the other paragraphs.

14. The final agreement will be endorsed by a binding UN Security Council resolution.