GENEVA – French President Emmanuel Macron is ready to help President Trump on Iran, but he has one condition first — confirmation of the ceasefire deal in writing.
The US and Iran signed the memorandum of understanding on Sunday electronically that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, end the US naval blockade, extend the ceasefire and set up nuclear negotiations.
But G7 leaders — some of Trump’s closest allies — haven’t seen the text of the MOU, officials told The Post.
And Macron wants details before he sends a French carrier and other military assets to help demine the critical Strait of Hormuz.
“The Charles de Gaulle, with everything surrounding it and remaining in the area, can be deployed within two or three days following confirmation” of the agreement, he told French TV TF1 on the sidelines of the G20.
France and the United Kingdom have been leading efforts to assemble a maritime mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz once the fighting stops.
“We have built a mission with the British, several nations are included, we are ready to act very quickly,” Macron noted.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the deal’s completion and said they are ready to “play our part” in helping demine the strait.
But Starmer didn’t commit to a date for deploying British ships, another hint that concerned leaders want to see the deal’s details.
G7 leaders will have time to pepper Trump with their questions. One of Tuesday’s working group sessions is dedicated to Iran.
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Additionally, Trump sat between Starmer and Macron at the leaders’ welcome dinner on Monday night, giving them a chance to exchange ideas in an unofficial setting. The trio is staying at the same hotel in Evian, France.
But the final terms of the peace deal have been fraught with confusion. Trump has said the strait will remain “permanently” free of tolls, but Iran state media says a toll will be added after 60 days to pay for services and maintenance of the waterway.
“On the toll question, we’re quite explicit in this MOU. The straits will be open toll-free for 60 days, and we expect that to become part of the final agreement as well,” a senior administration official told reporters.
There is also confusion about the conditions Iran must meet if it wants reconstruction money from or funds frozen by sanctions.
And there’s even confusion on when the terms of the deal will be released. A senior administration official told reporters on a briefing call that it could be early this week, while Trump signaled not until a signing ceremony was complete in Switzerland.
“All the details of the agreement have not been put out yet; they will be put out in the next 24-48 hours,” another senior administration official said.
But Trump said the text of the deal would be released on Friday, after the signing ceremony.
“Probably pretty soon. I would say sometime after Friday,” he noted.
The president, who previously attacked European nations for not helping enough militarily during the fighting, indicated in a meeting with Macron that he may not need help before conceding that a few ships might be nice.
“I don’t think we’re going to need much help, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a ship or two up here from a few countries,” he said.
