Trump Says If Iran Deal Fails, He Will Blame Vance

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

"If the deal is done, the credit is mine. If it's not, I'll blame Vance," Trump joked, after a reporter suggested that sending the vice president to sign the Iran deal in his place was setting up Vance as a scapegoat.

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

The text calls for Israel to immediately halt military operations in Lebanon and for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within at least 60 days without charging tolls.

The 14-point MOU includes a U.S.-Iran agreement on how to handle Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

One of the officials argued on the call that the U.S. currently has no pressing need to enter Iran to retrieve these materials, because last summer's U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities was very successful, burying the materials deep underground.

"Due to the success of Operation Midnight Hammer, these nuclear materials were 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. strike 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 nuclear weapons threat. But the senior official's suggestion that these nuclear materials have been inaccessible since last year seemed to undermine Trump's argument.

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

"They were attempting to rebuild their nuclear program and continue developing long-range missiles that now threaten our dear friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the U.S. homeland," he said then.

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

"Iran's nuclear ambitions are not contained; they got a taste of threatening the Strait of Hormuz and will surely do it again," Cassidy said. "Now, under this deal, Iran can build entirely 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 bombing has stopped."

Republican Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina told reporters on Capitol Hill: "Since the first kinetic strike, we have spent $100 billion. We lost two F-18s and several other aircraft. 13 dead. Several of our partners in the Middle East were attacked. 365 wounded."

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

Trump's comment about preferring Vance to attend the signing ceremony came at the end of the press conference, when he gave the last 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 he suggested he might not.

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

Doocy then said: "There's this idea that you send the vice president, and if the deal gets done and goes well, you look like a genius for sending him."

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

Trump replied: "I like that idea."

"That's right, so if things work out, the credit is mine. If they don'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. Yes, 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

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

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

1. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, along with its allies in this war, by signing this MOU, declare an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts (including Lebanon), and commit from now on not to wage any war or military action against each other, to avoid 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 (extendable by mutual consent).

4. Upon signing this MOU, the United States will immediately begin lifting the naval blockade and any interference or obstacles against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and completely end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, vessel passage will be proportional to the restored 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.

5. Upon signing this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make best efforts to arrange for the safe passage of commercial vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, with no charges for the first 60 days only. Commercial vessel passage will begin immediately and, considering the need for the Islamic Republic of Iran to remove technical and military obstacles and clear mines, 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 value of at least $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 according to the timeline agreed in the final agreement, including UN Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all U.S. unilateral sanctions (including primary and secondary sanctions). The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States recognize the extreme importance of the above termination of sanctions issue and express intention to resolve these issues immediately in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.

8. The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to address the disposition of enriched material inventory based on a mechanism to be mutually agreed, which will follow the timeline described in paragraph 7, with a minimum approach of on-site dilution under IAEA supervision. The two sides also agree to discuss uranium enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to Iran's nuclear needs on the basis of a satisfactory framework to be agreed in the final agreement. The final agreement will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran recognize the extreme importance of the above nuclear issues and express intention to resolve these issues immediately in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.

9. Before reaching a final agreement, 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 impose no new sanctions or deploy additional forces in the region.

10. The United States commits that from the time of signing this MOU until sanctions are lifted, the U.S. Treasury will grant 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 fully available the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran. After implementation of the MOU, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will jointly agree in negotiations on procedures for releasing these funds. Such funds, whether retained in their 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.

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

13. Upon signing this MOU, and subject to the commencement and continued implementation of measures in paragraphs 14, 5, 10, and 11, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin negotiations on the final agreement only on the other paragraphs.

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