Hardline figure rebukes critics of Iran-US understanding after text release

Iranian political activist Motahare Goonei on Wednesday mocked the newly announced understanding between Tehran and Washington, saying it was contradictory for authorities to maintain a heavy security presence and suppress dissent for months only to ultimately reach an agreement with the United States. She characterized the move as a capitulation made under pressure.

"Imagine you've spent a hundred and ten days turning the streets into a military zone with machine guns and Kalashnikovs, your leader's barely in the ground, not even a single voice message or video clip from the commander you pledged allegiance to gets released; then you surrender with a slap on the wrist and strike a deal with the "Great Satan"! she posted on X.

Iran won the war against the United States and Israel, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, head of Iran’s negotiating delegation and the country's parliament speaker told state television on Wednesday.

“The recent war was a war between the front of truth and falsehood,” Ghalibaf said.

“We did not allow the United States and Israel to achieve the nine goals they set out from the start of the war,” he added.

“When I talk about negotiation and diplomacy, I mean diplomacy of power,” Ghalibaf said, adding that he supported negotiations that were themselves “a form of struggle.”

Ghalibaf said he was the person who distrusted the United States the most and had told US Vice President JD Vance that he had “not the slightest trust” in him.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Wednesday that after speaking to US special envoy Steve Witkoff, he believed signing the memorandum of understanding with Iran would benefit the United States by helping open the Strait of Hormuz and ending hostilities with Tehran.

“Whether or not the United States can reach an acceptable, verifiable deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program and other issues is yet to be determined, but I see little downside to trying,” Graham said in a post on X.

He said the economic stability created by opening the strait and ending hostilities could create “a pathway to peace well beyond the Iranian conflict.”

Graham added that expanding the Abraham Accords and normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel remained his and President Donald Trump’s ultimate goal, saying the signing of the MoU was an essential step toward that aim.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday told reporters that the 60-day period for reaching a final agreement with Iran was not a hard deadline, and that the memorandum of understanding with Tehran would be signed within the next 48 hours.

Trump also said the United States would leave its military in the Persian Gulf “for a while.”

The agreement defers many of the most difficult issues, including how to wind down Iran's nuclear program, until a final deal is reached, and paves the way for a broader 60-day negotiation period due to begin in Switzerland on Friday.

The document, titled "Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran," was read out to reporters by the US official as follows:

1. The United States of America and the ​Islamic Republic of Iran and their ⁠allies in the current war, by signing this MoU (Memorandum of Understanding), declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on ‌all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.

2. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, ​and to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs.

3. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal ‌in maximum 60 days extendable with mutual consent.

4. Immediately upon the signing of this MoU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the traffic of vessels will be in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America further undertakes to remove ‌its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal.

5. Upon the signing of this MoU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start ⁠and, considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states in line with ‌the applicable international law and ​the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.

6. The United States of America undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan with at least USD 300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of ​Iran. The mechanism for the implementation of this plan will be finalized as part of final deal within 60 days. All required licenses, waivers, and permissions needed for the relevant financial transactions will be granted by the ⁠United States of America.

7. The United States of America undertakes to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the United Nations Security Council resolutions, ‌i.e. IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, primary and secondary, in an agreed upon schedule as part ​of the final deal. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America acknowledge the critical importance of the sanctions termination issue above mentioned and express their intentions to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

8. The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material pursuant to ‌a mechanism that will be mutually agreed upon, in accordance with the schedule mentioned in paragraph seven with the minimum methodology to be down blending on site under the supervision of the ​IAEA. The two parties also agreed to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear needs, based on a satisfactory framework being agreed upon in the final deal. The final deal will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledge the critical importance of the nuclear issues above mentioned and express their intention to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

9. Pending the final deal, the United States of America ​and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program and the United States of America will not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.

10. The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MoU and until the termination of sanctions, US Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.

11. The United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Upon the implementation of this MoU, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during the negotiation. Such funds, whether retained in the original account or transferred, shall be made fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.

12. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree that an executive mechanism will be ⁠established to monitor the successful implementation of this MoU and the future compliance of the final deal.

13. After signing this MoU, and subject to the beginning of the ⁠implementation of paragraphs 1,4,5,10 and 11 of this MoU, and ​the continuing implementation of these measures, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will start negotiations regarding the final deal exclusively on the other paragraphs.

14. The final deal will be endorsed by a binding UNSC resolution.