The leaders of the G7 industrialized nations issued a joint statement overnight Wednesday that addressed the Middle East and the U.S.-Iran agreement. While the statement praised President Donald Trump for the deal, it also included several points that are favorable to Israel, especially on Iran’s nuclear program, its regional activity, Lebanon, Gaza and the Strait of Hormuz.
The G7 said it welcomed “the breakthrough and opportunity” in the Middle East and praised the U.S.-Iran agreement, saying it creates a historic chance to prevent Iran from obtaining any nuclear weapon. The leaders also stressed the need to confront “the threats related to its regional and ballistic activity” and said they support and are ready to help implement that effort. The article notes that the agreement itself does not mention ballistic issues or Iranian support for proxies, even though the leaders clearly hinted at them.
On trade and shipping, the G7 reaffirmed that “unrestricted or free passage is the cornerstone of international trade,” a formulation that rejects any levy, despite Iranian claims that a fee would be imposed after 60 days. The leaders also backed a multinational, independent, defensive initiative led by France and Britain to help restore maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz by protecting merchant ships, reassuring commercial operators and supporting mine clearance.
The statement also endorsed a “strong and comprehensive diplomatic agreement,” based on a memorandum of understanding reached by Trump, and said negotiations should ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons. It said such talks should include relevant regional and international partners, including the IAEA.
On Lebanon, the G7 did not demand an Israeli withdrawal, but instead called for Hezbollah’s disarmament and for Lebanon to have a monopoly on weapons under international security guarantees. On Gaza, the leaders urged faster humanitarian and reconstruction efforts and the rapid implementation of relevant political and security steps, and they called for an end to violence in the West Bank. They also pledged to speed up diversification of energy supply routes to reduce global vulnerability to Hormuz and welcomed Canada’s potential to add significant supply capacity in coming years.
