Trump says he’s entering Situation Room to make final decision on Iran deal

US President Donald Trump says he is entering the White House Situation Room to make a “final determination,” ostensibly referring to the memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The White House said yesterday that US and Iran negotiators had reached an agreement on an MoU but that Trump still needed to provide his final approval. Iran denied that it had given its final okay, and Israel is said to believe that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not signed off on the MoU either.

“Iran must agree that they will never have a nuclear weapon or bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions,” Trump says in a Truth Social post, referencing reported terms of the MoU, which were confirmed by the White House yesterday.

“All water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated (we have removed, through detonation, numerous such mines with our great underwater mine sweepers. Iran will complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left, which will not be many!)” he continues.

“Ships caught in the Strait due to our amazing and unprecedented naval blockade, which will now be lifted, may start the process of ‘heading home!'” Trump adds, notably suggesting that he has already made a decision to lift the blockade, even though that was only supposed to happen once the MoU was signed, according to the terms leaked to the press and confirmed by the White House.

It wasn’t clear if Iran had since demanded that the blockade be lifted in advance in order to move forward, or if Trump’s statement was just poorly worded.

While the MoU stipulates that the sides will hold subsequent negotiations during the 60-day ceasefire extension on Iran’s nuclear program, including its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, Trump again insists that this “nuclear dust” will be “unearthed” and destroyed by the US in close coordination with Iran and the UN’s nuclear energy agency. Tehran has yet to show any indication that it is prepared to accept these terms.

“No money will be exchanged, until further notice,” he adds, ostensibly referring to the sanctions relief Iran is supposed to receive from the US as part of the MoU once it is signed.

“Other items, of far less importance, have been agreed to. I will be meeting now, in the Situation Room, to make a final determination,” Trump adds.