Donald Trump says unfair for Iran to lack ballistic missiles if other countries have them
- By Reuters -
- Jun 18, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that it would be unfair for Iran not to have ballistic missiles if other countries have them.
“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.
“If Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and they all have some, I would say in relative proportion, I think it’s okay.”
Trump also said the United States would leave its military in the Gulf “for a while” after Washington struck a deal with Tehran to end its nearly four-month conflict in the region.
Read more: US and Iran presidents sign ceasefire agreement, but Trump says he could still resume attacks
The U.S. and Iran released the text of an interim agreement their presidents have signed to end their war on Wednesday, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to resume attacks and kill Iranian officials if they failed to honour their commitments.
“We’re going to bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement,” Trump said of Iran at a press conference.
“I don’t want them to. I want them to honor the agreement.” He also called Iranians “smart people” as U.S. and Iranian negotiators work on a permanent truce over the coming 60 days, which Trump said he hoped would usher in peace in the Middle East and lower oil prices.