Trump signs Iran memo, but Europe fight over forces

Trump signs – President Donald Trump signed an initial Iran agreement calling for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with U.S.-backed sanctions waived to allow Iran to sell oil. The planned Friday Switzerland signing ceremony now appears uncertain am

President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran meant to end the war and ease pressure on Tehran’s economy, while a separate confrontation over Europe’s defense role played out in Brussels.

The Iran deal—described in details released by both countries—calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions. The immediate concession from Washington allows Iran to sell its oil freely. After leaders signed the memorandum. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said it has “immediate effect. ” adding that the leaders of the U.S. and Iran had signed it and that it “shall enter into force with immediate effect.”.

Still, the public rollout has been unstable. The White House had planned a signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland, but its fate is now uncertain, with conflicting information from the U.S., Iran and Pakistan.

The agreement also lays out a negotiating path on the nuclear front. It calls for a permanent end to hostilities and starts a 60-day negotiating clock aimed at reaching a final deal on the future of Iran’s nuclear program. Trump, however, left room to resume attacks.

While the memorandum’s terms have been difficult to pin down—days of secrecy and confusion surrounded what was actually included—senior U.S. officials read the memorandum of understanding with Iran to journalists on Wednesday after the days of silence ahead of the planned formal signing ceremony. Iranian state TV later released text that largely tracked what the U.S. put out. The swift shift from secrecy to signed agreement has fueled uncertainty over how quickly the two sides will translate the paper terms into real-world restraint.

The Iran agreement arrived as the Trump administration was also pressing NATO allies on responsibilities for security closer to home. On Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at European allies in Brussels, announcing a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe.

Hegseth said the review would be designed to ensure NATO is moving “fast and irreversibly” toward Europe leading and stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe. He also said allies had failed to provide U.S. forces access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran, calling it “shameful.”.

“These allies, they put America’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, at risk by denying them the predictable access, basing and overflight that never should have been in question at all,” Hegseth told his NATO counterparts.

At the top of the meeting, Hegseth also railed against migration and gender equality policies in Europe in remarks reminiscent of comments from Vice President JD Vance in February last year that angered many Europeans.

The two tracks—an initial Iran memorandum taking “immediate effect” and a hard-edged push on Europe’s willingness to shoulder defense burdens—now collide in the same moment of uncertainty. For Washington. the question is how fast a ceasefire and nuclear negotiations can stabilize after a sudden waiver of sanctions and a requirement for Tehran to dilute highly enriched uranium. For NATO partners. the question is whether a review that hinges on European responsibility will move from rhetoric to structural change—while the U.S. simultaneously seeks a diplomatic off-ramp with Iran.

Trump Iran deal highly enriched uranium sanctions waiver NATO allies Pete Hegseth forces in Europe Switzerland signing ceremony 60-day negotiating clock memorandum of understanding