On the eve of the G7 summit in Évian, US President Donald Trump declared that a peace agreement with Iran could be signed on Sunday, promising the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement, made via his Truth Social platform on Saturday, comes as European leaders prepare to gather in the French Alpine resort for discussions that will also cover the war in Ukraine.
"The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL," Trump wrote. He added that the United States would take Iran's enriched uranium "dust" once "all is calm."
However, Tehran quickly pushed back. Iran's foreign ministry indicated earlier on Saturday that no deal would be signed on Sunday, according to state media reports. The contradiction underscores the fragility of negotiations that have seesawed between threats and tentative diplomacy. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has acted as an intermediary, wrote on X that "we are closer to a peace deal than ever before."
G7 Summit in Évian: A European Stage for US-Iran Talks
The G7 summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Évian from June 15 to 17, provides a high-profile backdrop for Trump's latest gambit. The US president is scheduled for bilateral meetings with Macron, as well as leaders from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and India. A working session with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also planned for Tuesday, though no one-on-one meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy has been confirmed.
Trump's post contained both an olive branch and a warning. He described the relationship with Iran as "much different and better" than under previous administrations, and expressed hope for long-term cooperation. Yet he also cautioned that "if it doesn't [work out], we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again"—a clear reference to military options. Iran has consistently demanded guarantees that the US and Israel will not attack its territory, a point not addressed in Trump's statement.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has been effectively blockaded by the US Navy during the conflict. Iran has also linked any peace deal to an end to the war in Lebanon and the lifting of the blockade—two demands that remain unresolved. Trump's announcement made no mention of Israel, Lebanon, or the blockade, leaving key European allies wondering about the deal's scope.
European diplomats, particularly from France and Germany, have been closely monitoring the talks. The E3 (France, Germany, UK) have previously engaged with Iran on nuclear issues, and any US-Iran agreement would have significant implications for European energy security and migration flows. The G7 summit offers a chance for European leaders to press for transparency and to ensure that any deal addresses broader regional stability.
Trump is also scheduled to dine with Macron at the Château de Versailles on Wednesday evening, a gesture celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence at the site where the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783. The symbolism of Franco-American friendship may be tested by the substance of the Iran negotiations.
As the G7 convenes, the European Union's foreign policy chief has called for a coordinated approach. The bloc's member states, from Warsaw to Lisbon, are wary of being sidelined in a bilateral US-Iran deal that could affect European companies and security arrangements. The summit in Évian will be a crucial test of transatlantic unity on a file that has divided allies for years.
