Iran and the U.S. rush to finalize understanding amid growing pressure

According to several Arab and international reports, the United States and Iran are both pushing, each for its own reasons, to accelerate the signing of the memorandum of understanding between them. The reports say the agreement could be signed as soon as tonight, in what appears to be an effort to prevent the deal from unraveling in the coming days.

Arab outlets reported that Iran recently told Arab media contacts that the planned Friday signing ceremony in Switzerland may be canceled. The reason given is that the parties may instead complete an early electronic signing, making the physical ceremony unnecessary.

American media reports similarly say an electronic signing could take place as early as tonight, reducing any later ceremony to a purely formal event, or eliminating it altogether. The reports suggest this urgency is tied to rising domestic pressure in the United States, especially from Republicans, and to growing shock over the terms of the agreement.