Trump, Pezeshkian sign US-Iran MoU, full text released

U.S. government officials on Wednesday released the full 14-point text of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the United States and Iran, which is expected to be formally signed on Friday in Switzerland, reported Xinhua, quoting media.

After days of secrecy, senior U.S. officials disclosed the draft document reached over the weekend to journalists.

The United States and Iran electronically signed the MoU on Monday and are scheduled to formally sign it at a resort on Switzerland's Lake Lucerne on Friday.

The document may be signed by the presidents of both countries, Iran's state-run IRIB news agency reported Wednesday, citing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei.

Meanwhile, Iran's official news agency IRNA on Wednesday evening published the full text of a recently finalized memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Tehran and Washington on ending the war, said Xinhua.

According to the released text, by signing the MoU, Iran and the United States, along with their allies, will jointly agree to end the war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, immediately and permanently, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or military operation against each other, refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and guarantee Lebanon's territorial integrity and national sovereignty.

It said, "The final agreement will confirm the permanent end of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon."

Iran and the United States commit to respecting each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and refraining from interfering in each other's internal affairs, IRNA added, quoting the MoU.

It said Iran and the United States also commit to holding negotiations and reaching a final agreement within a maximum period of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent.

According to IRNA, immediately upon the MoU's signing, the United States will begin to lift its anti-Iran naval blockade and stop any harassment or obstruction against the country, and will fully end the blockade within 30 days.

It added during this period, traffic by vessels will return to the pre-war level to be restored by Iran, and the United States also undertakes to withdraw its military forces from areas around Iran within 30 days after the final agreement.

The report said by signing the MoU, Iran will make arrangements to the best of its ability to provide safe passage for commercial ships free of charge, only for a period of 60 days, from the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and vice versa, adding that commercial ships' passage will commence immediately and will be established within 30 days given the need for removing technical and military obstacles and demining by Iran.

Besides, Iran will hold discussions with Oman on the future management and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of the waterway's coastal states, and will also exchange views with other Gulf littoral states, IRNA said.

It added that the United States commits, along with its regional partners, to developing a definitive and mutually agreed-upon plan for Iran's reconstruction and economic development by providing at least 300 billion U.S. dollars, saying the plan's executive mechanism will be finalized as part of the final agreement within 60 days.

IRNA said it is stipulated in the MoU that the United States will provide all necessary approvals, waivers, and permissions for relevant financial transactions.

In addition, the report added, the United States commits to lifting all types of sanctions against Iran, including the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and all unilateral U.S. sanctions, both the primary and secondary ones, on a timetable to be agreed as part of the final agreement.

According to IRNA, Iran and the United States recognize the fundamental importance of the issue of lifting sanctions and express their intention to immediately address these issues in negotiations to reach a mutual agreement.

By signing the MoU, the report said, Iran reaffirms its commitment not to develop or purchase nuclear weapons, adding Tehran and Washington have agreed to resolve the issue pertaining to Tehran's stockpile of enriched uranium through a mutually agreed mechanism and in accordance with the timetable set out in the peace deal at least by means of on-site dilution under the IAEA's supervision.

The two sides also agree to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to Iran's nuclear needs on the basis of a framework to be agreed in the final agreement.

According to the MoU, Iran and the United States agree to maintain the status quo until the final agreement is reached; Tehran will maintain the status quo of its nuclear program, and Washington will not impose any new sanctions or deploy additional military forces to the region.

IRNA said under the MoU, the United States undertakes that immediately upon the signing of the deal and until the termination of sanctions, U.S. Department of the Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurance, and transportation.

It added that Washington also commits to fully making available any restricted or frozen Iranian funds and assets upon the MoU's implementation, stressing that the two sides will mutually agree on the procedures to release the funds during the upcoming negotiations, and the United States undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.

It has been stipulated in the MoU that an executive mechanism will be established to monitor the successful implementation of the deal and future compliance with the final deal.

According to IRNA, following the MoU signing, Iran and the United States will start negotiations on the final deal, which will be endorsed by a binding UN Security Council resolution.

Iran, the United States, and Pakistan early Monday announced the finalization of the MoU on ending the war following weeks of negotiations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, had digitally signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries on ending the war, said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei early Thursday.

In an interview with state-run IRIB TV, Baghaei said that the signing was originally scheduled for an in-person ceremony in Switzerland on Friday.

"But during the past 24 hours, we looked into this further and concluded that the better option is for the text to be signed virtually by the two countries' presidents," he added.

Baghaei explained that digital signatures by both countries' highest-ranking officials would raise "the costs of violating it."

He also noted that holding a ceremony is "not very appropriate."

Baghaei confirmed that the second phase of negotiations between Iran and the United States is set to begin in Switzerland on Friday, though he added that "we will have to see what outcome the parties will reach through mediators in the coming hours."

On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.