Trump arrives at G7 summit claiming victory over Iran deal as Macron faces threats

World leaders are gathering today in the Belgian town of Spa for the G7 summit of industrialised nations, with the Iranian nuclear agreement set to dominate discussions. The summit will also include leaders from Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Syria. French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to launch a European naval mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying the initiative could be deployed within two days. He has stressed that any negotiations with Tehran must also address Iran’s ballistic missile programme.
US President Donald Trump has indicated he will impose substantial tariffs on French champagne, in an apparent reference to France’s wine industry. When asked about European assistance on Iran policy, Trump suggested it was too little too late, remarking: “Help? You’re welcome to offer, but you’re a bit late.” The comments suggest fresh tensions between Washington and Paris over how to handle the Iranian nuclear crisis following Trump’s withdrawal from the multilateral agreement last year.
Macron’s decision to invite other Middle Eastern nations to the summit reflects France’s diplomatic efforts to build a broad coalition on the Iran issue. However, Trump’s absence of acknowledgement for France’s naval initiative and his threatening trade posture indicates the fundamental disagreements between the American and European approaches remain unresolved.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.