The United States and Iran have announced reaching a preliminary understanding to end the conflict that erupted on February 28. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 5:30 PM local time in Washington yesterday, Sunday (9:30 PM GMT), stating that "the agreement with Iran is now complete."
His announcement followed shortly after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country acts as a mediator, also declared that an agreement had been reached.
So, what do we know about the signing?
Firstly, the Memorandum of Understanding is scheduled to be signed officially and in-person next Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. However, the detailed terms of this agreement have not been officially disclosed yet.
It is anticipated that Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will attend the signing, according to two Iranian officials who spoke to the "New York Times."
The officials added that the signing would represent a historic meeting between Iran and the United States, which severed diplomatic ties after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the takeover of the American embassy in Tehran where dozens of American diplomats and employees were held hostage.
On the American side, Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed his attendance, hinting at the possible participation of President Donald Trump.
It remains unknown if Trump will attend in person or "virtually," especially since U.S. intelligence had previously advised that the President and Vice President should not travel abroad together.
What will happen before the signing?
Separate preparatory meetings with each party are set to take place in Doha over the next few days, leading up to the official signing in Switzerland and the start of technical talks on Iran's nuclear program, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the matter, who spoke to CNN. Qatari mediators had left Tehran last night after 17 hours of negotiations.
After the signing, broader negotiations are expected over a 60-day period, including discussions on easing sanctions on Iran, as confirmed by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharib Abadi.
Earlier, informed sources indicated that the fate of Iran's nuclear program will also be discussed in these subsequent talks.
Despite the optimistic atmosphere, some observers fear that the 60-day negotiations might not lead to a final agreement between the two countries, amid Trump's repeated threats to return to conflict if negotiations fail.
Issues remain unresolved, such as the amount of frozen Iranian funds to be released, the destruction of Tehran's high-enriched uranium stockpile, and the "management" of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has controlled in recent months.