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By Matthew Robinson and Jasmine Laws
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President Donald Trump joked that he was "the boss" as he arrived late for a meeting with world leaders at the G7 summit in France on Wednesday.
Arriving at the meeting in Évian-les-Bains, Trump also joked to the photographers who were briefly allowed into the room: "Would you like to stay for the meeting? It's OK with me." The members of the press were later escorted from the room.
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The meeting comes as G7 leaders throw their support behind Trump's tentative peace deal with Iran to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz.
In a joint statement, the leaders praised the U.S. president's "strong leadership" in securing the "breakthrough."
They added that the deal—set to be unveiled at a signing ceremony on Friday—was a "historic opportunity to prevent Iran from acquiring any nuclear weapon."
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Trump's Iran Peace Deal
Earlier this week, Trump said the U.S. and Iran had signed a peace agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East, but official details of the deal have yet to be made public.
"The deal's all signed. And the strait is already partially opened," Trump said shortly after arriving in France for the summit, according to Reuters.
Citing accounts from the U.S. and Iran, the outlet said the deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend a ceasefire for a 60-day negotiation period, while the countries discussed the future of Iran's nuclear program.
Per Reuters, U.S. officials have also said that economic benefits for Iran that could come as part of the deal are contingent on Tehran never building a nuclear weapon, which Iranian officials have repeatedly denied any intention of building.
Sealing the agreement with Iran could also change Trump's dynamic with G7 leaders, some of whom—such as French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni—he had friction with after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against the Islamic Republic on February 28 without consulting them.
G7 Leaders' Full Statement on Iran
In a joint statement, G7 leaders said, following the update:
"We recognize the breakthrough and the opportunity that currently exist in the Middle East.
"We welcome the announcement of a deal between the United States and Iran, secured under the strong leadership of President Trump, with the support of mediating countries, which provides an historic opportunity to prevent Iran from acquiring any nuclear weapon and tackling the threats related to its regional and ballistic activities. We support and are ready to contribute to its implementation.
"We reaffirm that the right of transit passage without restrictions or tolls is the bedrock of international trade. We agree that the multinational, independent, and defensive initiative led by France and the U.K. can play an important role to facilitate the resumption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz by protecting merchant vessels, reassuring commercial shipping operators, and supporting verification that all mines are removed.
"We strongly support a robust and comprehensive diplomatic follow-on agreement to the Memorandum of Understanding secured by President Trump that can bring peace and security for all in the region. We underline the need for the negotiation to this end to address the threats posed by Iran in the region and beyond and ensure that they never obtain a nuclear weapon. We agree that such a negotiation would benefit from the contributions from relevant regional and international partners, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We reaffirm that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon."
Key Updates From G7 Summit
The G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains has been heavily focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the U.S.-Iran war. Leaders have backed a joint declaration pledging to provide military and financial backing for Ukraine, while tightening sanctions on Russia, specifically on its oil and gas industry.
G7 leaders "stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," and they "commit to increase the pressure on the Russian war economy. In this context, we will strengthen our sanctions, including those on the oil and gas sectors," the group said.
The statement, which includes U.S. backing, is a significant step forward for Ukraine, given Trump's previous hesitation to increase pressure on Russia. Trump has suggested that, with an Iran peace agreement in place, he could return his attention to a deal between Russia and Ukraine, according to Politico.
His comment prompted concern among some that he could undo the efforts of Ukraine's allies to ramp up pressure on Moscow, making his recent openness to support the country's military effort notable.
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