A deal at Versailles

President Trump and Iranian representatives signed a memorandum of understanding at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday, bringing a temporary halt to the conflict that began with US and Israeli airstrikes in February. The accord calls for an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway whose closure had spiked global energy prices. Pakistan mediated the agreement, which sets aside nuclear issues for a sixty-day negotiation window originally due to start in Switzerland on Friday. Iran’s Supreme Leader claimed Trump was acting out of “desperation” in signing the deal.

The war’s toll

The Pentagon reported that 13 American service members were killed and at least 365 wounded during the campaign. By May, the war had cost $25 billion, and US munitions stockpiles, particularly long-range missiles critical for deterring China and Russia, were so depleted that replenishment will stretch into the next presidency. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz erased real wage gains Americans had seen in the first year and a half of Trump’s second term, economists noted.

Republican backlash

The interim deal drew sharp condemnation from Trump’s own party. Senator Ted Cruz told The Independent:

“History demonstrates that sending billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is a very bad idea, and I think the president is receiving very, very poor advice on this deal.”

Trump stunned Republicans earlier when he told reporters “I love the inflation” that accompanied the war, and he reportedly told advisers, “I’m the president and you’re not.” The White House defended his approach.

“No President has worked harder or delivered more than President Trump. The results speak for themselves.”

Yet behind the scenes, frustration is mounting over his gut-driven decisions, including the scuttling of a nomination hearing and demands to tie the SAVE America Act to intelligence legislation.

Hezbollah’s victory claim

In Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem hailed the deal as “a great victory” and “a pivotal point for Lebanon,” thanking Iran for linking the Lebanese front to the negotiations. The MoU’s first paragraph commits all sides to respect Lebanon’s territorial integrity, a provision that Hezbollah says will force Israel to halt its operations. However, fighting continued in southern Lebanon on Friday, prompting Iran to demand postponement of the planned Swiss talks. Israel, which was not included in the agreement, maintains a roughly 600-square-kilometre buffer zone in southern Lebanon it says is needed to protect northern communities from Hezbollah rockets.

G7 and Ukraine

The week’s diplomacy extended beyond the Middle East. At the G7 summit in Geneva, Trump joined other leaders in a statement pledging “unwavering support” for Ukraine, a notable shift from last year’s comparison of the war to two boys fighting in a park. Canada’s Mark Carney said the gathering remains useful for weaving a new world order, though the G7 no longer pretends to run the world.