U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he will not attend the signing of a new agreement with Iran.

The decision marks a significant shift in the diplomatic choreography of the deal, as the president delegates the formalization of the pact to his deputy. This move suggests a calculated distance from the final ceremony while maintaining the administration's trajectory toward a new diplomatic framework with Tehran.

Trump said his deputy, JD Vance, will be present in Europe to sign the agreement [1, 2]. The signing is expected to take place over the coming weekend [1, 2].

While the president will not be physically present for the event, he indicated that the timing of the negotiations remains advantageous for the U.S. He emphasized his commitment to the quality of the terms over the speed of the conclusion.

"I will not conclude a bad deal with Iran and time is on our side," Trump said [2].

Trump said that while he cannot attend the signing personally, the presence of Vance ensures the U.S. administration's formal commitment to the proceedings in Europe [1]. The specific European city hosting the event has not been named, but the timeline remains focused on the immediate weekend window [1, 2].

This delegation of authority is a rare occurrence for a high-stakes international agreement, typically reserved for the head of state to maximize political leverage and visibility. By sending Vance, the administration signals that the technical and political terms are settled, even if the president prefers to avoid the optics of a rushed ceremony.

“"I will not conclude a bad deal with Iran and time is on our side,"”

The decision to send JD Vance instead of attending personally allows the US president to maintain a 'hardliner' image by avoiding a celebratory atmosphere, while still advancing the diplomatic goal of a new agreement. It suggests the administration believes it has sufficient leverage over Iran that the president's physical presence is no longer required to secure favorable terms.