Trump Birthday Timing Dispute Shadows Iran-US Deal Announcement

The announcement that Iran and the United States had completed an agreement came just after midnight Israel time, delivered first by Pakistan’s prime minister, the main mediator. Minutes later, President Donald Trump also said the deal was complete. Trump had turned 80 that day, and he had previously pushed for the memorandum of understanding, which was ultimately signed Thursday in Switzerland, to be finished on that date.

According to the report, Iran appears to have wanted to avoid having the accord completion coincide with Trump’s birthday. Two Iranian officials told The New York Times that Tehran waited until after midnight local time, because it did not want the day of the agreement to be the same as Trump’s 80th birthday. Iran is 30 minutes ahead of Israel, and there is a 7.5-hour gap between Tehran and Washington, which allowed both sides to present different versions of when the deal was finalized.

Trump said the agreement happened on Sunday, his birthday, while Iran said it took place on Monday. The timing dispute came against the backdrop of an unusual birthday celebration for Trump, including a UFC event on the White House lawn with a giant cage erected there. Tickets reportedly sold for as much as $1 million, and critics called it a distraction, likening it to gladiator games in ancient Rome.

After the UFC event, Trump was scheduled to fly to the G7 summit, which begins today in Évian, France. The summit’s start was specifically delayed so he could watch the fights.