Trump: World will ‘find out pretty soon’ if Iran MOU signing will happen

United States President Donald Trump has suggested that the signing of a memorandum of understanding beginning the process of ending the US-Israeli war with Iran could still fall through.

Speaking to reporters from the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Evian, France on Wednesday, Trump was non-committal when asked how confident he was that the signing planned for Friday would proceed. In various statements throughout the day, Trump said Washington would resume bombing if Iran does not “behave”.

“Deals are amazing. I’ve done them all my life,” Trump said during a news conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I’ve gone into deals that were 100 percent and they don’t happen. I’ve gone into deals that there was no chance of getting them done, and it happens, and they happen easily.”

“So, you never know with deals, do you? But you’re going to find out pretty soon,” Trump said. “I think it will be done”.

Shortly after, speaking during a separate speech, Trump suggested the signing could happen sooner than previously announced, “tomorrow [Thursday], maybe the next day”, he said.

Trump and his top officials have sent mixed signals about the finality of the MOU, which both the US and Iran have said will end fighting on all fronts, lift the US naval blockade, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Both sides have also been in agreement in saying that the initial deal will only serve as a launch point for 60 days of negotiations on more entrenched issues, including the future of Iran’s nuclear programme, its support for proxies in the region, and future administration of the Strait of Hormuz.

US officials have maintained that the MOU was already digitally signed on Sunday, suggesting the deal’s terms were not subject to change.