New Delhi: In a major development to end the ongoing tensions, the United States and Iran on Monday virtually signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
to end nearly four months of conflicts in the Middle-East.
According to Reuters, the MoU has already been signed by US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The formal signing ceremony will be held on Friday. The full details of the deal will be released 48 hours after the formal agreement.
What does the memorandum say?
The memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict between the United States and Iran is expected to be signed in Switzerland on Friday, after which the full text will be made public. Both sides have said that the agreement will immediately pave the way for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route, and the lifting of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports. Iranian officials said commercial shipping through the strait would resume once the memorandum is signed, with maritime traffic coordinated by Iran and Oman.
On the nuclear issue, Iran has agreed that it will neither produce nor acquire nuclear weapons. As an interim measure, Tehran would freeze further nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment and expansion of nuclear facilities, while negotiations continue. The two countries have agreed to spend the next 60 days discussing more difficult issues, particularly Iran’s nuclear programme and the future of U.S. sanctions. The United States has also indicated that a future agreement would include a strong inspections regime for Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The memorandum also outlines steps to ease economic pressure on Iran. According to Iranian officials, Washington has agreed not to impose new sanctions while negotiations continue and could temporarily waive restrictions on Iranian oil exports. Discussions on a broader timetable for lifting U.S. and U.N. sanctions will be part of the next phase of talks. However, President Donald Trump has said Iran would not receive direct cash payments, although sanctions relief remains a possibility.
The agreement also seeks to reduce regional tensions, and the framework reportedly includes a permanent halt to military operations involving Lebanon. Iran has called for an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, while Israel has maintained that its military will continue to hold certain security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. The issue is expected to remain one of the more contentious aspects of the broader peace process.
