Trump Grants Iran 60-Day Oil Hall Pass After Regime Promises To Behave This Time

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a heartwarming display of international trust rarely seen outside kindergarten classrooms, the Trump administration announced Monday that it will temporarily allow Iran to produce and sell oil after the Islamic regime reportedly promised to keep its hands to itself and play nicely in the Strait of Hormuz.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that the administration has issued a 60-day license authorizing Iranian oil sales while negotiators work toward a broader peace agreement. Officials expressed cautious optimism that a government famous for sponsoring terrorism, threatening its neighbors, and chanting "Death to America" may finally be turning over a new leaf.

“In line with the ongoing productive talks in Switzerland, Iran has committed to free and open transit in the Strait of Hormuz and to permit International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors into their country,” Bessent wrote on X.

Diplomats reportedly celebrated the breakthrough after Iran allegedly looked everyone directly in the eye and promised it was being totally serious this time.

“As part of the framework, Treasury has issued a temporary 60-day general license authorizing the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil,” he continued.

To ensure the arrangement remains above board, the license specifically prohibits buyers in North Korea, Cuba, and Crimea from purchasing Iranian oil, effectively preventing what experts described as "the world's least trustworthy governments from forming an even more suspicious customer loyalty program."

Vice President JD Vance said the negotiations successfully established a mechanism to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and prevent disagreements from spiraling into a larger conflict.

Administration officials praised the agreement as a significant diplomatic achievement, noting that if all goes well, future negotiations could include additional confidence-building measures such as Iran pinky-swearing not to build nuclear weapons and signing a note promising not to fund terrorist proxies during recess.

At press time, international observers reported that several barrels of Iranian oil had already begun flowing toward global markets while diplomats eagerly waited to see whether the phrase "trust but verify" could survive another encounter with the Iranian regime.

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Trump Nears Iran Deal As Hezbollah, Israel, And Reality Itself Complicate Things

President Trump is once again finding out that trying to bring peace to the Middle East is a little like herding cats or refereeing a bar fight where everyone has missiles and a theological grudge dating back 3,000 years.

On Sunday, Trump publicly warned Israel and Iran not to torpedo what he insists is an almost-finished peace agreement after Israel lit up Hezbollah targets in Beirut, because apparently nobody in that region can go 48 consecutive hours without setting something on fire or blowing something up.

“We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region,” Trump posted on social media, before adding the kind of thing every exhausted parent has yelled from the front seat during a family road trip: “Let’s not blow it!”

Please let us not pretend that any so called peace deal will last very long when Islamic scripture [in this case, the Hadith] demands the killing of Jews:

Sahih al-Bukhari 2926 (Narrated by Abu Huraira):
"Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."'"
Sahih Muslim 2922 (also narrated by Abu Huraira):
"The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: 'O Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him'; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews."

Smoke rose over Beirut after Israeli strikes reportedly hit Hezbollah infrastructure in the southern suburbs. Lebanon’s Civil Defense said workers pulled three bodies and six wounded people from the rubble, which is generally not the visual diplomats hope for while trying to finalize a peace agreement.

Naturally, Iran responded with threats, because Tehran treats military retaliation the way normal countries treat strongly worded press releases.

The emerging deal has reportedly left Israel less than thrilled. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has been largely sidelined while Pakistan and other regional players helped move negotiations forward, which probably feels to the Israelis like being forced to watch strangers remodel your house while assuring you they definitely know where the load-bearing walls are.

Trump, who previously suggested the agreement could be signed Sunday, has reportedly been leaning hard on Netanyahu to cool things down in Lebanon while negotiations continue. Netanyahu, being Netanyahu, appears to have treated that advice the same way most people treat the “terms and conditions” page on a software update.

Following the Beirut strike, Trump spoke with Netanyahu and made it clear he was not exactly delighted with the timing and it made him look bad.

According to Axios and Fox News interviews, Trump directly questioned the Israeli prime minister about the operation after Israel said it struck Hezbollah targets in response to drone launches aimed at northern Israel.

The Israeli military claimed Hezbollah launched three projectiles and released footage showing smoke rising after impacts. Hezbollah, meanwhile, maintained its long-standing media strategy of saying absolutely nothing until everybody else has already spent twelve hours arguing online.

“It shook it up,” Trump said of the strike’s effect on negotiations, adding that the agreement’s signing was delayed several hours but remained on track.

That sentence pretty much sums up Middle East diplomacy in 2026: everyone agrees peace is close right before somebody launches explosives into a neighboring country.

Israel defended the strikes as necessary retaliation. “Israel will not tolerate firing into its territory,” Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

Fair enough. That is generally how sovereign nations operate.

Meanwhile, civilians in Beirut’s southern suburbs were once again seen fleeing damaged neighborhoods after briefly enjoying what passed for “calm” in the region, which usually means only a few rockets a week instead of dozens.

The current conflict spiraled after Hezbollah fired missiles into Israel on March 2, shortly after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Since then, Israeli forces have pushed deeper into Lebanon than at any point in more than twenty-five years, which is the sort of escalation diplomats politely call “concerning” while privately stress-eating antacids.

Iranian officials reacted exactly the way you’d expect Iranian officials to react.

Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned on X that “if you lack the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible.”

Translation: everybody keeps threatening peace while simultaneously threatening each other.

Gen. Mohammad Jafar Asadi added, “Without a doubt, these crimes will not go unanswered,” proving once again that no Middle Eastern conflict is complete without at least one official statement that sounds like it was generated by an angry action movie trailer narrator.

Qatari mediators reportedly traveled to Tehran Sunday to help finalize the agreement. Regional officials cautiously suggested the U.S. and Iran might actually be approaching a framework capable of halting hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which global markets would appreciate very much because investors tend to dislike shipping lanes turning into active war zones.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the agreement could be signed Sunday, while Iranian officials suggested it may happen within days. Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately after signing.

The deal itself appears less like a grand peace treaty and more like the diplomatic equivalent of duct tape holding together a leaking garden hose. It reportedly creates a sixty-day framework for further discussions on Iran’s nuclear program, missile capabilities, frozen assets, and regional proxy activity, which means the hardest issues are essentially being postponed until later.

Under the current framework, the U.S. and Israel appear to have fallen well short of their original objectives of dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile programs entirely. Critics have noticed this small detail.

Trump attempted to reassure skeptics Saturday by posting that once things calm down, the U.S. would “downblend and destroy” Iran’s enriched uranium either inside Iran or in the United States.

That may prove more complicated than posting it on social media.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran possesses roughly 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, which is alarmingly close to weapons-grade material. Iran continues insisting its nuclear program is peaceful, which ranks somewhere alongside “the stripper really likes me” on the list of claims that should probably invite further scrutiny.

Republican critics of the deal have already started circling. Some argue the agreement barely improves on the 2015 Obama-era nuclear deal that Trump himself withdrew from during his first term because he repeatedly called it “bad.”

Now Trump finds himself in the awkward position every president eventually reaches in foreign policy: discovering that campaign slogans are much easier than negotiating with regimes that sponsor armed militias while enriching uranium underground.

Still, if Trump somehow manages to keep Israel, Iran, Hezbollah, Pakistan, Qatar, global oil markets, and congressional Republicans from simultaneously detonating this agreement before the ink dries, it may qualify as the first genuine miracle the Middle East has seen in decades.

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Bibi wants Trump to give the go-ahead for future strikes on Iran

Israel’s got its eyes locked on Iran, and it isn't just about trading stern looks across the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s gearing up to sweet-talk Donald Trump into a deal that’d give Israel the green light to hammer Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Think of it as a pre-approved hall pass for airstrikes, much like the one they’ve got for Lebanon.

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post, that Netanyahu is pitching this plan at his Monday sit-down with Trump in D.C. “The goal is to receive a mandate similar to the situation in Lebanon,” the official said, laying it out plain. So, if Iran starts messing with uranium or rebuilding nuke sites Israel had already destroyed, the Jewish state wants a nod from Uncle Sam to hit back hard.

This isn’t just about keeping Iran’s nuclear dreams on ice. It’s part of a bigger play to slap snapback sanctions on Tehran for stonewalling international inspectors. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) just yanked its people out of Iran, citing “security concerns” after Iran’s new president/figure head, Masoud Pezeshkian, signed a law telling the agency to take a hike.

Netanyahu, never one to miss a chance to sound the alarm, told reporters before jetting off to Washington on Sunday, “We must remain vigilant against Iran’s attempts to renew its pursuit of nuclear weapons aimed at our destruction.” 

This is classic Bibi, framing it as an existential cage match, because when you consider geography, it really is for Israel.

The U.S. and Israel have been tag-teaming Iran’s nuclear setup since their war wrapped up in June. That American strike on Iran’s Fordow site was a total gut punch. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi admitted to CBS News on Tuesday that Fordow got “seriously and heavily damaged.” He’s still figuring out how bad it is, but let’s just say it wasn’t a love tap.

Meanwhile, Israel is not letting Hezbollah off the hook either. The IDF’s back to pounding targets in southern Lebanon, taking out Qassem Salah Al-Husseini, a high-ranking terrorist tied to Iran’s Quds Force, near Kfarkela on Thursday. The IDF and Shin Bet say this guy was Iran’s point man for plotting attacks on Israeli troops and civilians up north. 

He was not missed.

Netanyahu’s push for this U.S.-approved strike system isn’t about waiting for Iran to make the first move. The Israeli official put it bluntly: they want the paperwork done now so they can swing the moment Iran steps out of line. No delays, no debates, just action. In a region where everyone’s playing chess with live ammo, Israel’s betting on having the U.S. in its corner to keep Iran’s nuclear pawns in check.

Do you think Israel should strike preemptively if Iran tries to go nuclear again?

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Iranian Foreign Minister Confirms Major Damage to Nuclear Sites, Contradicting Ayatollah’s Claims

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed in a state TV interview that U.S. military strikes caused significant damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, despite Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s claim that the impact was minimal.

Araghchi stated, “the level of damage is high, and it’s serious damage,” according to the Associated Press.
Assessments after the strikes show that Iran’s nuclear sites were heavily damaged in both U.S. and Israeli attacks. Iran, Israel, and the U.S. agree on the extent of the damage, despite a leaked intelligence report suggesting otherwise.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, in spite of hiding in a hole somewhere and not seeing the result of the attack for himself, downplayed the impact, saying, “the Americans failed to achieve anything significant in their attack on nuclear facilities.” 

He seems more focused on appearing strong than acknowledging the truth. He called Iran’s attack on the U.S. airbase Al-Udeid in Qatar a “heavy slap to the U.S.’s face,” while President Donald Trump called it a “very weak response” and thanked Iran for providing “early notice.”

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed on Tuesday that the agency observed “extensive damage at several nuclear sites in Iran, including its uranium conversion and enrichment facilities.”

Araghchi also discussed the possibility of resuming talks with the U.S., noting that the strikes “made it more complicated and more difficult” but did not completely rule out negotiations.

Nuclear talks were already uncertain before the U.S.’s Operation Midnight Hammer, as Iran accused the U.S. of being “complicit” in Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, according to Reuters, citing Iranian U.N. Ambassador Ali Bahreini.

On Wednesday, President Trump expressed hope about restarting nuclear talks with Iran, stating, “We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement, I don’t know. To me, I don’t think it’s that necessary. I mean, they had a war. They fought. Now they're going back to their world. I don't care if I have an agreement or not. The only thing we would be asking for is what we're asking for before about, we want no nuclear [program]. But we destroyed the nuclear.”

Despite Trump’s comments, there are no confirmed plans for the two countries to meet soon.

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Joy Reid goes full Iran apologist on CNN but then this happened

Joy[less] Reid, the miserable ex-MSNBC leftist, just took a wild swing on CNN, defending Iran of all places after Trump dropped a weekend surprise on their nuclear sites. Yeah, that Iran. The one with a rap sheet longer than a Costco receipt for sponsoring terror and chaos.

Things got spicy fast on CNN’s Newsnight Tuesday, and Reid was serving up takes hotter than a Legionnaire's butt on the Sahara in the middle of summer.

CNN contributor Brad Todd came out swinging, laying it down plain: “Iran-backed militias that attacked the United States forces 170 times in Syria, in Jordan and in Iraq. You know who said that? Joe Biden said that. That’s why he authorized F-15 strikes against Iran.”

Bahdahboom! Facts on the table.

But Reid? She a dolt and wasn’t having it. Brushing off Biden like he’s yesterday’s news, she sneered, “I don’t look to former President Joe Biden as a moral authority because he has allowed Israel in an unrestrained manner to slaughter Palestinians in Gaza.”

Oh, we’re going there, eh? Reid doubled down, spinning a yarn about why Iran’s chasing nukes: “The bottom line here is the way that we know that Iran did not have nuclear weapons is that if they had nuclear weapons, Israel would not attack them. The reason they’re trying to get nukes, and probably Saudi Arabia is trying to get them, is because an expansionist power in their region keeps threatening them and actually bombs them.”

She's putting the cart before the horse, in a sense. The obvious truth is what Iran has said all along, and that's a little chant calling for death to Israel, and yes, America too.

Then Reid went full bird-brain: “I don’t think it’s okay that Israel has nukes either. And so the bottom line is, Israel does not even subject its nuclear weapons to the IAEA. And so my question is, should anyone in the region have nukes?”

Alright, Joy, slow down. You’re out here sounding like you’re auditioning for a UN debate club and didn't even bring your notes.

Host Abby Phillips wasn’t letting that slide, stepping in with a reality check: “Joy, this is not just about nukes. It’s also about Iran being a state sponsor of terrorism and chaos and violence and death around the world. So, I mean, there’s that too.”

Then Arthur Aidala piled on, calling out Reid for stanning a regime that “slaughters gay people and kills others for their religious beliefs.” Reid, too stupid to back down, fired back: “LGBTQ people can't even serve in the military under the president you prefer.”

Aidala wasn’t having it, clapping back, “We're not killing them!”

Reid kept digging: “They’re allowed to live, but they’re not allowed to serve in the United States military. They’re being persecuted. They can’t have their stories told in school. The United States is not exactly a beacon of rights for gay people.” Okay, Joy, comparing the U.S. to Iran’s death squads? That’s a stretch even for you. Aidala called her out for the false equivalence, and the panel was basically a cage match at this point.

And yes, LGBTQ people can openly serve in the military, but don't expect the military to do the genital mutilation for them. The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed in 2011 and since then openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people can serve. In 2021, the Department of Defense lifted the ban on transgender individuals serving openly, allowing them to serve in their identified gender, provided they meet military standards.

This wasn’t the first time we’ve heard this tune. Just last week, The View’s Whoopi Goldberg tried a similar flex, claiming the U.S. in 2025 is basically Iran for Black folks. “Not if you're Black,” she insisted when co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin pushed back, with Sunny Hostin chiming in, “not for everybody.” 

The hyperbole is strong with this mentally challenged crew.

Reid’s still stinging from MSNBC canning her show earlier this year, and she has a theory: her Gaza coverage and relentless Trump-bashing got her the boot. Shocker, right? The far-left flamethrower thinks speaking “truth to power” cost her the gig. Maybe, Joy, it’s just that people got tired of the hot takes that sound like they’re scripted by a Reddit thread.

So, there you have it—Reid out here caping for Iran, sparring with CNN’s finest, and leaving us all wondering: what’s next, a fan letter to the ayatollah? Stay tuned, because this drama’s far from over.

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Iran/Obama win, America loses

Secretary of State John Kerry announced that Iran has completed all the required steps in the nuclear deal and now we can give them the money we promised we would. Now they can do what they've longed to do to Israel and the rest of the Middle East, but were too strapped for cash to do it.

The announcement was made by IAEA (not to be confused with Ikea) General Yukiya Amano, a fine man of half Italian, half Japanese decent, I believe. The General said he will also be releasing a report on Iran's actions, so they'd better give up their jihad or Mr. Obama will fire some angry words their way.

Iranian electric power plant

"This paves the way for the IAEA to begin verifying and monitoring Iran's nuclear-related commitments under the agreement, as requested by the U.N. Security Council and authorized by the IAEA Board," Amano said in a statement.

It also paves the way for Iran to research and discover new alternatives to covertly developing nuclear weapons to go along with the ballistic missiles they've been testing "to produce electricity."

No doubt Iran will see many benefits from new oil trade and other opportunities once sanctions are lifted, and one can only imagine what will happen when all their dreams come true.




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