The official 14-point U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding grants Tehran oil revenues, frozen assets, and a ceasefire in Lebanon, before Iran makes a single nuclear concession. The official text of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran was released to journalists Wednesday evening by a senior White House official, after days of conflicting reports about its contents — and a close reading of the 14-point document reveals concessions that go further than even the most critical early assessments suggested.
The memorandum is due to be formally signed Friday in Switzerland, triggering a 60-day window to negotiate the final terms of a deal. On Sunday, the two sides electronically signed the agreement, which Pakistan helped broker, with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance signing for the United States and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf signing for Iran. The White House had spent days dismissing leaked versions of the text as "fake news." The official document released Wednesday is, in key respects, harder on the United States than what had been reported.
The agreement declares the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," with both sides committing not to initiate any war or military operation against each other, and to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The implications for Israel are stark. A commitment to Lebanon's "territorial integrity" is a direct demand that IDF forces withdraw from southern Lebanon. Targeted operations against Hezbollah operatives would also fall under the ceasefire's scope. Trump has, in effect, signed off on a full Israeli withdrawal, and a full halt to military pressure on Hezbollah. (Read More)
