In the early hours of Thursday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran.
The White House released footage of Trump signing the document at the Palace of Versailles in France, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, as well as Trump's team, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
While signing, Trump commented, “I tell you frankly, it wasn’t easy,” referring to the negotiations that lasted for months following military escalation and a conflict that erupted on February 28, casting a shadow over the region and the global economy.
Iran, through its official media, shared images of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian holding a copy of the MoU signed by Trump.
Implementation in Effect
This development came after Iranian and American officials confirmed last evening that the framework of the agreement, aimed at ending the war, had been signed electronically and was now in effect.
According to two informed sources, the early signing of the agreement aimed to expedite the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by Axios.
Iran had largely disrupted shipping traffic in the strait, a vital passage for global trade in oil, gas, and fertilizers, shortly after the conflict erupted in late February, using threats and attacks on ships.
In April, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in an attempt to deprive Tehran of its oil revenues.
However, after weeks of negotiations, the U.S. and Iran reached a framework agreement last Sunday, paving the way for technical talks set to begin tomorrow, Friday, in Switzerland.
Trump emphasized yesterday that the agreement remains conditional, threatening to resume military action if Tehran does not comply with its terms. He stated during the G7 summit, “It’s a Memorandum of Understanding, and if I don’t like it, we will go back to firing at them and bombing their heads. If they don’t comply with what should be, we will go straight back to bombing them at the core of their positions.”