▲ U.S. President Donald Trump
Reports have emerged that Iran intentionally delayed reaching a peace agreement until after midnight on June 14 (local time) to avoid the deal coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
According to The New York Times (NYT), Iran reportedly held off on finalizing the agreement until the clock struck midnight local time.
Two Iranian officials stated that this was because they did not want a significant peace agreement to overlap with President Trump's birthday.
However, the officials added that because there is a seven-and-a-half-hour time difference between the United States and Iran, both sides were able to claim the final agreement time as they preferred.
President Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the 14th that the peace negotiations with Iran had been concluded. At that moment, it was already 1:00 a.m. on the 15th in Iran.
Previously, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed in a Telegram post on the 13th that President Trump was showing "unusual stubbornness" to wrap up the peace talks in time for his birthday on the 14th.
The IRGC criticized the move, stating, "Some point out that President Trump's insistence may stem from a desire to use this signing ceremony symbolically and turn it into a personal promotional event."
Within Iran, opposition to the peace negotiations with the U.S. continues, particularly among hardliners such as the IRGC.
On the 13th, ahead of the agreement with the U.S., hardliners gathered outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in the northeastern city of Mashhad to denounce Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led the negotiation process, chanting, "Death to the shameful traitor Araghchi."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.