But he has settled for a deal that appears short of many of the goals he outlined in the early days of the conflict, potentially opening himself up to attacks from hawks in his own party and leaving the U.S. looking strategically worse off than it did before he went to war.
More than three months after attacking the Islamic Republic, Trump on Sunday gave his approval to a "memorandum of understanding" that marks the most significant breakthrough in peace talks so far, including Iran’s commitment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which could help lower high U.S. gasoline prices.
At the same time, the Pakistani-mediated deal - the text of which was not immediately released - also apparently calls for significant U.S. concessions, including deferring discussions over ending Iran's nuclear program, Trump's main stated war objective.
U.S. President Donald Trump seen at an event in Wisconsin, U.S., on June 6, 2026. Photo by AP
Trump’s pursuit of an exit plan has intensified amid growing pressure to end a war that has killed thousands, inflicted economic pain at home and driven down his approval ratings just months ahead of November’s U.S. midterm elections. His Republican Party is struggling to maintain control of Congress.
