US President Donald Trump said his early departure from the G7 summit had “nothing to do” with working on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, rebutting comments by French President Emmanuel Macron who said the US president had proposed a ceasefire.
“Macron, seeking publicity, wrongly said that I left the G7 summit in Canada to go back to Washington to work on a ‘ceasefire’ between Israel and Iran. Wrong! He has no idea why I’m going to Washington now, but it certainly has nothing to do with a ceasefire. Much more. Intentionally or not, Emmanuel is always wrong,” he wrote on Truth social media.
Macron did not comment on Trump’s statement, but earlier on Monday he said the US president had proposed a ceasefire to Israel and Iran.
“There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange views. There was an offer made specifically to achieve a ceasefire and then to start broader discussions,” Macron told reporters at the G7 summit.
Trump left the G7 summit in Canada early to return to Washington because of the situation in the Middle East.
Mutual strikes between Iran and USA ally Israel, which began on 13 June when Israel attacked Iran with airstrikes, have raised alarm in a region that has already been tense since Israel and gas since October 2023.
Israel, the US and other Western countries have long sought to pressure Iran to curb the development of nuclear weapons.
Tehran denies pursuing nuclear weapons and says it has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment.
Top commanders and scientists were killed in Israel’s first surprise strike on 3 June. Iran’s Health Ministry has since claimed 224 deaths. Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said more than 90 per cent of the victims were civilians.
According to the Israeli side, 23 people were killed in Iranian attacks.