A proposed “memorandum of understanding” (MoU) between the United States (US) and Iran, intended to end the war, is taking an unusually long time to finalise despite its relatively brief length, as disagreements over language, sequencing, and key demands persist.
The choice of words and the order of steps have become crucial, with every single term being examined and every link between provisions disputed, diplomatic sources indicate.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday, “We have to have a diplomatic solution that is very clear on the topics they are willing to negotiate on and the extent of the concessions they are willing to make at the front end in order to make it worthwhile.”
US officials said on Thursday that Iran and the US had reached a preliminary agreement to transform the existing ceasefire into a more enduring resolution. However, on Friday, President Donald Trump made several demands -regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear activities, and the release of frozen Iranian assets – that were not well received in Tehran.
The semi-official Fars news agency described Trump’s social media statements as “a mixture of truth and falsehood” and an effort to project a “manufactured victory.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said, “The ‘musts’ that the Americans bring up are actually requests.”
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in Singapore on Saturday that he had spoken to Trump, who “wanted me to reiterate how patient he is in ensuring that with America undertaking this kind of historic endeavor, any deal will be a good one, a great one, and he’s patient in the pursuit of that.”
Reopening Hormuz as key first step
Both sides view agreement on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as an initial step, following three months of disruption that has caused a sharp spike in crude oil and commodity prices.
Trump said on Friday, “The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions,” adding that Iran would be responsible for demining the seaway. He also said the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would be lifted.
However, Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission, said in an interview Friday, “Iran’s control measures and arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz are permanent in nature and certainly not temporary.”
Trump has warned Oman – a traditional Western ally – against any arrangement with Iran. “Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up,” he said during a cabinet meeting Thursday. “They understand that. They’ll be fine.”
Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said Saturday, “By continuing the naval blockade and making excessive demands in negotiations, he has once again proven that he is not inclined toward negotiation and is pursuing other objectives.”
The nuclear file
Only after the MoU is signed will a 60-day negotiation period begin to address Iran’s nuclear programme, including its stockpile of highly enriched uranium—the main issue during Oman-mediated talks last year and in February.
Trump repeated his firmest position on Friday. “Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon,” he said on social media.
Azizi said Friday that “Iran does not intend to transfer its enriched uranium to a third country.”
Frozen assets and sanctions
Iran is demanding the immediate release of billions of dollars in assets held in overseas banks. However, a senior US official told CNN last week that unfreezing would occur only after the Strait of Hormuz has reopened.
Trump said Friday, “No money will be exchanged, until further notice.”
If the memorandum is agreed, $24 billion worth of Iranian assets could be released, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Tuesday, adding that half that amount could be released when the deal is first announced.
As with frozen assets, sanctions on Iran will only be lifted once the strait is fully operational again, a US official told CNN. Baghaei said, “Details must be negotiated after the memorandum is finalized.”
It remains unclear whether the conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon will be addressed. Iranian officials have stressed that the MoU would apply to the “end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.”
Negotiations remain overshadowed by persistent distrust. Iran’s senior negotiator, Mohammad Bagheri Ghalibaf, said Friday, “We have no trust in guarantees or words—only actions are the measure. No action will be taken before the other side acts.”
