President Donald Trump made clear Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran is not a final agreement, warning that Washington could resume military strikes if Tehran fails to comply with its terms. Speaking alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, Trump said the deal is merely a preliminary step and that he retains the option to escalate force.
“No, it’s not final. It’s a memorandum of understanding, and if I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their head,” Trump said. He repeated the threat in stark terms: “If they don’t behave, we’ll go back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head,” adding that Iran has “misbehaved for 47 years.”
The MOU, electronically signed by Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Sunday, aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Vance is expected to represent the United States at a formal signing ceremony in Switzerland on Friday. U.S. officials have said the full text of the 14-point agreement will be released this week.
According to copies obtained by CNN and Bloomberg, the deal grants Iran access to a $300 billion development fund if it meets commitments to scale back its nuclear program. Trump sought to distance himself from that provision, telling reporters: “We are not investing in it and we do not have a fund. That’s a false story that got picked up incorrectly.” He insisted the United States is “not investing 10 cents.”
The president’s remarks come amid pushback from Iran war hawks who oppose key terms, including the $300 billion fund and a provision allowing Iran to resume oil exports free of U.S. sanctions. Trump countered that the alternative to the MOU would be “a worldwide depression,” accusing critics of wanting economic collapse.
Despite the tough rhetoric, Trump has repeatedly downplayed economic concerns in recent weeks, arguing that the only priority is preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The MOU includes a commitment from Tehran never to build a nuclear bomb—similar to the Obama-era nuclear deal Trump withdrew from—but it lacks specific requirements on the stockpile of enriched uranium.
For more on the president’s stance, see Trump Warns Iran Deal Not Final, Threatens Resumed Strikes; DNI Nomination on Hold. The controversy over the $300 billion fund is detailed in Trump Denies US Funding $300B Iran Deal, Says Private Investment Possible.
The agreement’s fate remains uncertain as Trump insists he can walk away at any moment. “If they don’t behave, we’ll go back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head,” he reiterated, signaling that the administration’s approach to Iran remains volatile and contingent on Tehran’s behavior.
