'Unfair For Tehran Not To ​Have Them': Trump's U-turn On Iran's Ballistic Missiles After Peace Deal Stuns Critics

Last Updated:June 18, 2026, 15:39 IST

Trump said that the US military would remain in the Gulf "for a while" following the peace agreement with Iran.

After signing the landmark US-Iran peace deal, President Donald Trump on Wednesday said it would be unfair for Iran to be denied ballistic missiles if other nations in the region possess them.

The remarks were made while speaking to reporters in Paris, shortly after the agreement was signed by the two sides, ending nearly four months of conflict in the Middle East.

“I’m saying that if other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some," Trump told reporters in Paris.

The president said the assessment should be applied in a regional context.

“If Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and they all have some, I would ‌say in relative proportion, I think it’s okay," said Trump.

Trump further stated that the US military would remain in the Gulf “for a while" following the agreement.

‘They Don’t Blow Up Planet’

Trump drew a clear distinction between nuclear weapons and ballistic missile systems, arguing that the latter do not pose the same level of global danger.

“Missiles aren’t the problem… They hurt a little location, but they don’t blow up the planet (like nuclear weapons do)," he was quoted as saying by Times of Israel. He added that issues related to missiles would still be addressed in subsequent rounds of negotiations.

His comments suggest a shift in Washington’s approach toward Iran’s ballistic missile programme, which Israel has long insisted must be dismantled as part of any broader agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly maintained that Iran’s missile capability is inseparable from wider security concerns tied to its nuclear ambitions and regional activities.

Trump, however, stressed that the two issues should not be treated as equivalent.

“A ballistic missile is not the same thing as what we’re talking about when we talk nuclear," the US President said.

President Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Thursday signed a peace deal aimed at ending the months-long US-Iran war in the Middle East.

Trump signed the memorandum of understanding during dinner at the Palace of Versailles with French President Emmanuel Macron after attending the G7 summit.

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Prisha Vibhavari

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st...Read More

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