'We cleared the plates': Versailles dinner becomes stage for Trump's surprise signature of Iran deal

At a glitzy dinner in Versailles hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump seized the opportunity to sign an initial deal with Iran.

Guests at Wednesday's late-night dinner were gobsmacked. White House officials had considered a formal signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland instead.

One of the attendees, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, described the scene, which capped three days of intense diplomatic talks at a G7 summit.

“The president of the United States thanked everyone for the G7 and for the dinner, and in his speech, said, 'And by the way, I have a good agreement with Iran, and I'm going to sign it,'” Lescure said on RTL radio.

“We literally saw (US Secretary of State) Marco Rubio leave – I don't know if he had already printed the memorandum of agreement or went to print it – and come back,” Lescure added. “We cleared the plates.”

Another French official said Rubio received a message about the deal during dinner, at around 11pm.

Rubio and French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot left the room to review the memorandum of understanding before bringing the document, in English and Farsi, to Trump for signing, the official said. The official was not authorised to discuss the details with the media, and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“In any case, for us, ministers of the French government, it was a surprise,” Lescure said.

In videos posted on social media by Macron and a White House aide, Trump was seen seated at a table signing a paper copy of the agreement. He then handed the document and pen to Rubio as the dinner host, sitting next to him, told him: “Good job. Bravo.”

Officials and guests applauded.
As the US and French leaders left the palace, Trump casually announced to reporters as he was getting into his car: “We signed in Versailles.”

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)