The memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran — named the Islamabad MOU for the mediator’s host country — is vaguely written and intentionally so, given its clear purpose as a negotiation agenda catering to each side’s domestic audience.
But the agreement’s text, read aloud Wednesday by a senior U.S. official on a call with reporters, provides a preview of the precarious path ahead for U.S. and Iranian negotiators, who have only two months after the MOU’s signing to secure a final deal to forever end Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The MOU, as laid out to reporters, reveals some significant wins for Iran that are likely to raise eyebrows in the U.S., especially among members of Congress, including U.S. support for a $300 billion reconstruction fund and no restrictions on Iran’s missile program.
The focus of the MOU is on economic measures, from ensuring the free flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to providing Iran with economic incentives for good behavior. Only two of the document’s 14 points mention the country’s nuclear program at all, with the rest revealing concessions the U.S. made to the country that President Donald Trump said have been “largely demolished.”
This is a preview of an article by Julia Jester. Read the full article here.
