Behind Trump’s Birthday Celebration, White House Raced to Finalize Iran Deal
As U.S. President Donald Trump marked his 80th birthday at a lavish White House event, frantic behind-the-scenes talks were underway to finish a developing agreement with Iran. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Trump spent the day alternating between celebratory calls and urgent conversations with senior advisers and foreign leaders, trying to lock in a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough.
The report says some of Trump’s top aides were surprised when he announced earlier this week that a “great deal” had been completed, promising “peace and security for the whole region.” They believed the details were still being negotiated, and the full text, described by American sources as only one and a half pages long, had not been released publicly.
Trump also moved to prevent steps that could have derailed the deal. After speaking with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following strikes in Lebanon, he said, “They need to respond, then he will respond, and then this whole thing never ends in the Middle East,” adding, “Bibi should not have done this.”
Questions about the agreement were not limited to the White House. Republican Senator James Lankford said lawmakers had not yet seen the text, while other members of Congress asked for a full briefing before taking a position. Critics who favor a tougher line on Iran also warned that Tehran could receive concessions without meaningful nuclear commitments.
American sources said the deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and shipping lanes, and extend the ceasefire by 60 days for talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Iranian state media gave a different account, saying the understandings also include an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and preserving Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, with no new commitments on the nuclear issue. Trump plans to formally sign the agreement in Geneva on Friday, and he already added his digital signature to the document alongside Vice President J.D. Vance.
