Donald Trump has publicly criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Israeli air strikes in Lebanon appeared to have delayed the signing of a peace deal between the US and Iran.
The comments followed a post on social media in which Mr Trump indicated the framework deal is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, US local time, and said the Strait of Hormuz would be “open to all” immediately after.
He later posted that Israeli strikes on Beirut on Sunday morning “should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran”.
“Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless; nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and it should not disrupt this important process.
“There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel.”
Shehbaz Sharif has been a key messenger between Iran and the US. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
Mr Trump then directly criticised Mr Netanyahu in comments made to US news outlet Axios.
“Why did Bibi have to do a f***ing attack? I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no f***ing judgement. I let him know that,” Axios quoted Mr Trump as saying.
Axios reported the Israeli strikes in Lebanon had delayed the signing of a peace agreement between Iran and the US by several hours and that Mr Trump was rushing to save it.
In response to the Israeli strike against Hezbollah, Iran’s highest national security body warned that a response was “imminent”.
Earlier claims of finalising the agreement on Sunday were supported by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, a key messenger between Iran and the US.
Mr Sharif said Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signing, to be followed by talks in the coming week.
Iran denies timeline
Esmaeil Baghaei says the signing could happen “in the coming days”. (Foreign Correspondent: Matt Davis)
On Saturday, Iranian media quoted Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, as saying the signing would “not be tomorrow” but could happen “in the coming days”.
“We have not reached a final conclusion on this matter.“
Fars, an Iranian news agency, cited an informed source indicating Tehran was still reviewing the agreement.
Around the same time on Saturday, Mr Trump spoke to reporters at the White House.
“We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran.”
When asked whether Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, approved the deal, Mr Trump said, “I understand the answer is yes.”
Conflicting statements
Throughout the course of peace negotiations between the US and Iran over the past three months, Mr Trump has repeatedly said any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s demands for the deal include the lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control of the Strait of Hormuz.
On Friday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a deal with the US was close.
The agreement outlined an end to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, but talks on Iran’s nuclear activities would come later, Mr Araghchi said.
In a post on social media, Mr Trump said: “At the appropriate time, when all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust … and destroy it.
“Hopefully, this process will all work out quickly, easily, and smoothly,” he wrote.
“If it doesn’t, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!“
Mr Trump’s social media post. (Supplied: truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump)
After agreeing to a ceasefire in April, the US and Iran have exchanged intermittent fire.
Previous reports from the US suggest the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah may not be included in this deal.
Israel is not part of the US-Iran deal and has also insisted it will continue striking Hezbollah in response to attacks in northern Israel.
ABC/wires
