U.S., Iran, and Mediators Discuss Advancing MOU Signing to Tonight

The United States, Iran, and the mediating countries are discussing moving up the signing of a memorandum of understanding that is now scheduled for Friday, possibly to Wednesday night, according to a diplomat from one of the mediating states and another source familiar with the details. If the timetable changes, the agreement could be signed electronically, the clauses related to the Strait of Hormuz would take effect earlier, and Washington might finally publish the text of the deal.

The diplomatic source said the push to accelerate the schedule is aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz before Friday, especially because all sides already agree on that issue. Another factor is political pressure on the White House to release the memorandum’s wording. The informed source said Iran insisted the text not be published before the formal signature and denied that the White House is acting because of political pressure. As of Wednesday evening, no final decision had been made.

Despite the possible change in timing, the American and Iranian delegations are still expected to meet on Friday in Switzerland, as planned, to discuss opening negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. The talks are to be led by U.S. Vice President Vance and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf.

A senior administration official told reporters that Trump, Vance, and Qalibaf had already signed the agreement electronically on Sunday. The diplomatic source denied that any such signing took place, while the informed source said it did happen and that the current ceremony would be a second signature. The White House has said since Sunday that Iran’s reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the American blockade will begin only after Friday’s formal ceremony. It declined to comment.