14/06/2026
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14/06/2026
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WASHINGTON, June 14: US President Donald Trump said a proposed agreement with Iran remains on track despite Israel’s recent strike on a Hezbollah target in Beirut and subsequent threats of retaliation from Tehran and its allies.
According to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, who cited a brief interview with Trump, the president said the signing of a US-Iran agreement aimed at ending the conflict could still proceed as planned on Sunday. Trump reportedly expressed frustration over Israel’s strike in Beirut, saying he had conveyed his concerns directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The comments came as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also sought to reassure that the Beirut strike would not derail efforts to finalize a preliminary memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.
“From all I know, we are on track. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” Hegseth said during an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”
Hegseth acknowledged ongoing tensions involving Hezbollah and northern Israel, saying the United States was closely monitoring developments and expected Iran to use its influence to prevent further escalation.
“We’re attuned to what’s happening with Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel, which they need to stop doing, and Iran needs to encourage them to stop doing that in very adamant ways,” he said.
The defense secretary described Israel’s strike as a measured response and suggested Israeli leaders understood that diplomatic efforts were approaching a critical stage.
“I don’t expect that to disrupt,” Hegseth said. “If Iran wants this to hold, they need to pull back Hezbollah, no doubt.”
Hegseth also outlined key expectations for any future agreement, stating that Iran’s nuclear material would have to be destroyed, removed, or downblended under a system of inspections and international oversight.
“Nuclear material will be destroyed and removed. The nuclear program will be dismantled,” he said.
He emphasized that the United States would maintain a military option if Iran failed to comply with the terms of any agreement, warning that Washington remained prepared to enforce the deal if necessary.
The statements come amid heightened regional tensions following Israel’s strike on a Hezbollah site in Beirut’s southern suburbs, but US officials continue to signal confidence that negotiations with Iran remain on course.
