US releases – The United States released the full 14-point text of a memorandum of understanding with Iran meant to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The document lays out immediate steps to end military operations, remove a naval blockade, restart shipping f
On Wednesday, the United States released the official text of a memorandum of understanding it reached over the weekend with Iran—an agreement designed to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but one that became politically explosive the moment its language wasn’t made public.
A senior US administration official read out the 14-point document spelling out the immediate and future steps: provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing certain financial restrictions on Iran, and setting expectations for addressing Iran’s nuclear program during future technical talks.
The memorandum, titled “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” was released after outcry that its text hadn’t been made public.
The same official framed the deal as a two-way system. “This is fundamentally an agreement that allows us to open the Strait of Hormuz immediately. commit the Iranians to destroying the nuclear dust. and then gives us a dial where if the Iranians dial up their good behavior. we respond by dialing up the kind of economic and sanctions relief that can make them a more prosperous country. ” the senior US official said.
Formally signing Friday in Switzerland will trigger a 60-day window to negotiate the final terms of a deal, with the end-state described in the memorandum as one that would be endorsed by a binding UN Security Council resolution.
The text begins with a sweeping commitment: the United States and Iran. and their allies in the current war. sign to declare “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts. including in Lebanon. ” and to refrain from initiating any war or any military operation against each other. It also calls for avoiding “the threat or use of force. ” while “ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon.” The final deal is said to confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts. including in Lebanon. and other provisions of paragraph one.
Beyond the war-ending language, the memorandum spells out specific operational steps.
Within 30 days after the final deal, the United States undertakes to remove its forces from the proximity of Iran.
At the same time. immediately upon signing. the United States will begin removing its naval blockade and any “disturbances or impediments” against Iran. with the blockade fully ended within 30 days. During that period, vessel traffic is to be “in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored” by Iran.
For shipping in the region, paragraph five lays out a sharply timed arrangement. Upon signing. 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.” It says commercial vessel traffic will start immediately and that. within 30 days. Iran will de-mine and install the necessary conditions after removing technical and military obstacles.
Iran is also tasked with conducting dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states and in line with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states.
Economics and sanctions sit near the center of the document as well.
The United States undertakes. with regional partners. to develop a definitive mutually agreed plan “with at least USD 300 billion” for reconstruction and economic development of Iran. The mechanism for implementing that plan is to be finalized in the final deal within the 60-day negotiation period. and the memorandum says required licenses. waivers. and permissions needed for relevant financial transactions will be granted by the United States.
Sanctions are addressed directly in paragraph seven. The United States undertakes to terminate “all types of sanctions” against Iran. including UN Security Council resolutions. IAEA Board of Governors resolutions. and all unilateral US sanctions—primary and secondary—on an agreed schedule as part of the final deal. The memorandum also notes both sides acknowledge how critical the sanctions termination issue is. and they “expressed their intentions to immediately address these issues in the negotiations” to reach mutual agreement.
Paragraph 10 adds an immediate mechanism: immediately upon signing the memorandum and until the termination of sanctions. the US Department of the Treasury will issue waivers for export of Iranian crude oil. petroleum products and derivatives. along with associated services including banking transactions. insurances. and transportation.
Paragraph 11 addresses frozen and restricted assets. The United States undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of Iran upon implementation of the memorandum. The two sides say they will mutually agree on the procedures related to releasing these funds during negotiations. It specifies that such funds—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 memorandum further says the United States undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.
Nuclear issues are handled through promises of constraint and a particular technical method.
Paragraph eight says Iran reaffirms it “shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons.” It also states the two sides have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material through a mechanism mutually agreed in accordance with the schedule mentioned in paragraph seven. with “the minimum methodology to be down blended on site under the supervision of the IAEA.” It further says the parties agree to discuss enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to Iran’s nuclear needs. based on a satisfactory framework to be agreed in the final deal. The final deal is to confirm provisions of this paragraph. and both sides say they intend to immediately address nuclear issues in negotiations.
The memorandum also lays out a temporary “status quo” arrangement. Pending the final deal. both sides agree to maintain the status quo: Iran maintains the current status quo of its nuclear program. while the United States will not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.
To track compliance, paragraph twelve says an executive mechanism will be established to monitor successful implementation of the memorandum and future compliance of the final deal.
Negotiating sequencing appears in paragraph thirteen: after signing, and subject to the beginning of implementation of paragraphs one, four, five, 10 and 11—plus continuing implementation—the two sides will start negotiations for the final deal “exclusively on the other paragraphs.”
The final deal’s endorsement is spelled out at the end. Paragraph 14 says the final deal will be endorsed by a binding UNSC resolution.
But the question that has lingered since the weekend agreement is how closely what was floating around in draft form matched the final signed text.
Earlier Wednesday, before the text was officially released, CNN published a copy obtained from a US official. A diplomat who saw it at the G7 summit in France this week confirmed its contents, as did two other diplomatic sources with knowledge of negotiations.
Because both the US and Iran had kept the wording secret, it was unclear whether the draft shared with CNN would match the final wording to be signed in person on Friday in Switzerland. A White House spokesperson said Wednesday morning that the text did not reflect the actual memorandum.
One main difference between the draft and the final text is the inclusion of a “minimum methodology” for neutralizing Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The final text specifies a minimum methodology of down-blending near-bomb-grade uranium with lower grade material under IAEA supervision; the draft did not include that language.
The final text also includes a provision spelling out that Iran will allow commercial vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz “with no charge, for 60 days only,” a term not listed in the draft.
The US official who described the document told CNN that the text obtained by CNN reflected the agreement signed digitally by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday.
As the competing versions circulated. US officials downplayed the significance of the memorandum itself. calling it a “political document” that does not reflect critical back-channel commitments Iran made to the US—specifically on the future of Tehran’s nuclear program. The White House did not respond to a request for comment when presented with the draft obtained by CNN. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim described leaked versions of the draft as inaccurate. Bloomberg earlier published a version of the draft.
With the official 14-point text now released, the dispute is no longer about whether the language exists—it’s about what it will do once Friday’s signing turns negotiation deadlines into real deadlines.
US Iran memorandum Strait of Hormuz sanctions relief nuclear talks IAEA supervision 60-day negotiations UNSC resolution
So they finally posted it… about time.
Reopen Hormuz = prices go down, right? Idk why people are freaking out. Sounds like shipping will just restart and everyone wins.
I’m confused because “Islamabad Memorandum” sounds like Pakistan not Iran/US. Also if they’re easing financial restrictions then that just helps them regroup. End hostilities my butt.
The headline makes it sound like Iran gets a free pass on the nuclear stuff but they only mention “expectations” for future technical talks. Meanwhile they removed a blockade (or were told to) so of course shipping comes back. Not convinced the 14 points actually mean anything if neither side agrees on enforcement. Also why release it after the weekend if it was so “two-way”? Seems like someone was hiding language.