US-Iran Memorandum Details Include Lebanon and Nuclear Talks

American officials and diplomatic sources disclosed to Axios on Friday the details and provisions of the anticipated memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign soon, as announced on Thursday.

Negotiations have repeatedly stalled at moments when the White House believed they were nearing completion and ready for official announcement. However, a diplomatic source expressed optimism to Axios that "the text will be approved this time."

The Tasnim news agency cited informed Iranian sources stating that "the latest development involved the failure of US military and diplomatic pressures to impose changes on the 14-article text, and that the US was informed of this through the intermediary."

Lebanon's Role in the Agreement

Axios sources indicated that the memorandum stipulates "the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without transit fees, and the easing of sanctions on Iran depending on its compliance with the memorandum's provisions."

The memorandum also includes "a 60-day ceasefire, encompassing Lebanon, during which nuclear negotiations are to be held."

The text contains "a framework for addressing Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, noting that any measures related to Iran's nuclear program will depend on a more detailed second agreement."

Two diplomats from the intermediary countries and two American officials reported that a preliminary agreement was reached on Wednesday evening after hours of negotiations between Qatari mediator Ali Al-Dhwadi and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Sources clarified that "during talks in Tehran, Al-Dhwadi held several phone calls with Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner," while Trump's announcement of the agreement's completion "came as a surprise" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

An informed American source revealed that "in recent days, Netanyahu found himself uncertain and resorted to contacting close allies within the Trump administration to gather information."

Some sources noted that "as of Thursday evening, the agreement had high-level approval from the Iranian side, but it is unlikely that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had approved it."

Trump expressed his expectation that a signing ceremony for the memorandum would take place over the weekend, while Ismail Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated that Tehran "has not yet made a final decision."

Simultaneously, Axios reported that four US military transport aircraft of the C-17 model departed for Europe on Thursday, carrying equipment in anticipation of Vice President J.D. Vance traveling to Geneva to attend the signing ceremony in the coming days.

A senior US official said that Trump agreed that one possible solution could be reducing the level of Iran's highly enriched uranium within the country under United Nations inspectors' supervision.

No actions concerning Iran's nuclear program will be taken unless a second agreement is reached, a possibility considered uncertain due to the difficulty of previous negotiations, which were less technically complex than the memorandum of understanding.

The diplomatic source claimed that the memorandum "addresses all nuclear issues in detail" and "meets all US requirements."