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Iran live updates: US details what's in memorandum of understanding

The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding is due to be signed on Friday.

Last Updated: June 17, 2026, 4:50 PM EDT

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal. Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations concluded.

On Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. and Iran had reached a "great deal," which he said would be signed on Friday. The memorandum of understanding was read to reporters on Wednesday.

10:42 AM EDT

Trump says he wants Israel to 'use good judgment' in Lebanon

Asked about whether he wants Israel to stop bombing Lebanon, President Donald Trump told reporters, "I want Israel to be able to protect itself, but I do want them to use good judgment."

On Tuesday, Trump said he was “not happy” with Israel’s recent attack on an apartment building in Beirut.

"Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed, and you don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they're not all Hezbollah,” he said.


“I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah,” Trump added.

Trump added that he still enjoys “a great relationship” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.


“Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did. I've had a great relationship with Bibi, but now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon,” Trump said, of Netanyahu.

10:39 AM EDT

Trump says 'we defeated Iran,' is confident US will reach a deal

President Donald Trump said the U.S. "defeated" Iran in the first week of the war, saying the U.S. naval blockade on Iran was "100% effective" and Iran now wants to come to an agreement to end the war.

"They want to sign, they want to get back to a normal life. You know, we hit them very hard," Trump told reporters while speaking at the G7 Wednesday.

"This is a memorandum of understanding, but it's a very strong one. This isn't just like a two-paragraph. This is a longer, pretty detailed memorandum that goes into a regular contract," Trump said.

8:08 AM EDT

Trump describes MOU as 'not final,' threatens to restart bombing

President Donald Trump said the text of the memorandum of understanding with Iran announced earlier this week was not final, and that if he didn't like it, the U.S. would "go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head."

"No, it’s not final. It’s a memorandum of understanding, and if I don't like it, we'll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their head,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday, during a bilateral meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the sidelines of the G7 in France.

President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with Egypt's President on the sidelines of the G7 summit, in Evian, eastern France, on June 17, 2026.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

He added, "If I don't like it, if they don't behave, we'll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head, OK? Because they misbehaved for 47 years."

-ABC News' Fritz Farrow

5:55 AM EDT

UN reports 'significantly' reduced violence in southern Lebanon

The U.N. is seeing a "significantly reduced level" of violence and exchanges of fire in southern Lebanon since the weekend, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the U.N. secretary general, said on Tuesday.

People ride an all-terrain vehicle moving past destroyed buildings in the village of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr in southern Lebanon on June 16, 2026.
Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images

"The mission recorded 38 violations of Lebanese airspace by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) yesterday, down from 83 reported on Sunday," Dujarric said at his daily press briefing.

On the continued displacement of people from southern Lebanon, Dujarric said, "while violence has decreased since Sunday, incidents in southern Lebanon continue to be reported, which has a direct impact on people’s ability to check on their homes or to move around."

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule

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