Trump Claims "Achieved Everything" in Iran Deal, Despite Criticism of "Defacto Defeat"

U.S. President Donald Trump has assessed the bilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) on ending the war with Iran as having "achieved all the goals we set out to reach, and more."

President Trump, who is visiting France to attend the G7 summit, held a press conference on June 17 (local time) and stated, "This MOU is about ending the current conflict, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and ensuring that Iran will never possess nuclear weapons."

He particularly emphasized, "This agreement makes it 99% certain that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons, and they will not be able to develop or purchase them."

Furthermore, President Trump added that following the in-person signing of the MOU on June 19, "technical discussions regarding the removal of all of Iran's stockpiles of enriched materials will begin immediately."

Referring to the MOU as the "Trump Deal," the President raised his voice, stating, "This is a wall that prevents them from moving toward nuclear weapons, and no one can break through it."

Regarding the $300 billion (approximately 454 trillion won) reconstruction fund for Iran, President Trump said, "If Iran behaves properly and people want to invest in Iran, they will be able to do so."

However, contrary to President Trump's self-praise, international opinion suggests that the MOU contains numerous provisions unfavorable to the U.S. side.

CNN reported that even U.S. intelligence authorities assessed that "this negotiation proposal has effectively enabled Iran to block access to the Strait of Hormuz whenever it wishes from now on."

Regarding the unfreezing of Iranian assets, President Trump showed a flexible stance, stating, "That is not our money, it is their money," and added, "We have had it tied up, and I think at some point, we will probably have to return it."

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Ui-seon | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.