Iran Planned Strike on Israel After Beirut Attack, Trump Intervention Averted Collapse of US–Iran Talks

TEHRAN/WASHINGTON, June 15: Iran had reportedly prepared to launch an attack on Israel and suspend the signing of a planned memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States following an Israeli strike near Beirut, according to a report by The New York Times citing officials involved in the talks.

The report said Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf informed Qatari mediators that Tehran was considering both military retaliation against Israel and a suspension of the agreement process with Washington after the Beirut-area strike, which Iran viewed as a major escalation.

According to the report, mediation efforts intensified in the final hours of negotiations, with Qatar acting as a key intermediary between Tehran and Washington. Iranian officials reportedly treated the Beirut strike as a “red line,” warning it could derail ongoing diplomatic efforts.

The NYT said U.S. President Donald Trump intervened directly during the crisis, urging Tehran to hold back from immediate retaliation and assuring Iranian counterparts that Israeli strikes in Lebanon would cease once the agreement was finalized.

The report added that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Ghalibaf are expected to travel to Geneva for the signing ceremony alongside U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance.

In a separate development, Vice President JD Vance told CNBC that Washington expects the Strait of Hormuz to remain open and toll-free in the long term under the emerging framework agreement.

Vance said the U.S. expects to release the text of the Iran–U.S. memorandum of understanding later this week, describing it as a phased arrangement with a two-step verification mechanism, though many operational details remain under negotiation.

He added that a broad Iranian delegation, including senior political figures, is expected to attend the signing ceremony scheduled for Friday in Geneva.

Diplomatic observers say the developments underscore the fragile nature of the negotiations, which have unfolded alongside ongoing regional military tensions.