Iran live updates: Trump says MOU is 'fair,' denies that US will invest 'any money'

 

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.

New US-Iran talks to begin after MOU signed, official says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that the new round of negotiations between Iran and the U.S. for a final peace agreement will start the day after signing the memorandum of understanding, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said Tuesday that the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, will travel to Geneva to officially sign the MOU, as quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Speaking of potential Israeli breaches of the MOU in Lebanon, Takht-Ravanchi said that "a mechanism that has been foreseen in the memorandum of understanding will be activated." Takht-Ravanchi did not offer further details on the mechanism.

The U.S., he said, had committed to bringing the war to an end on all fronts, including in Lebanon, "on behalf of its partners in the MOU."

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Trump says Iran deal is 'fair,' denies that US will invest 'any money'

During a bilateral meeting with the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday, President Donald Trump touted the memorandum of understanding that was reached between the U.S. and Iran, calling it a "fair" and "good" deal.

The president said that negotiations over Iran's nuclear program -- a contentious issue which is to be addressed in a 60-day negotiating window -- will be "actually easier" than reaching the MOU.

Trump also said that the U.S. is not investing "any money" in Iran, calling reports to the contrary "ridiculous."

"We have the right to go in someday and do, if I want to do something or somebody wants to do something, but we are not investing any money. We have no obligation to invest any money in Iran," Trump said.

Trump said he believes that the U.S.-Iran deal can survive even if Israel continues attacking Lebanon, with the president referring to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict there as a "minor war" with Hezbollah being a "pin-prick."

Nonetheless, 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.

"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, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump added that he still enjoys "a great relationship" with Netanyahu.

Trump said the deal with Iran ensures that Tehran will never pursue or acquire a nuclear weapon and threatened military action if it did so. "If they do, all hell will rain down on them, and they're not going to do that," he said.

Asked what economic opportunities could open for Iran if the two countries continue to cooperate, Trump did not specify but expressed hope that Iran would "do well."

-ABC News Emily Chang, Karen Travers and Justin Gomez

Israeli attacks, occupation in Lebanon violate MOU, Araghchi says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that ending the war with the U.S. and Israel "would not be completed" without Israel's withdrawal of the lands it has occupied in southern Lebanon during this war, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Speaking at a meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran, Araghchi said Iran will view any military attack on Lebanon by Israel and the continuation of its occupation as a "violation of the MOU."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyahu said on Monday that the Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw from the areas it has seized in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip.

Israel will remain in buffer zones of Lebanon, Gaza, Syria: Netanyahu

Israel will remain in the "buffer zones" it has created in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

"We will remain in the security belts as long as it takes to protect our country," he said.

Israel has expanded its presence in southern Lebanon in recent weeks.