The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding overnight Wednesday to Thursday to end the war, according to two senior American officials. The deal took effect immediately because it was signed digitally. Trump personally signed a copy while dining with the French president at Versailles Palace, and a photo of the signed agreement was then sent to Iran and to the mediators between the sides.
An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed that the memorandum was formally signed by the presidents of both countries. Speaking to the Tasnim news agency, he stressed the importance of the Lebanon-related clauses. “The Islamic Republic has proven that it does not abandon its friends under any circumstances,” he said. “For us, the ceasefire and ending the war in Lebanon were and remain no less important than Iran itself.”
He added that Lebanese sovereignty is at the heart of the agreement. “Lebanon is mentioned three times in the first clause of the memorandum, and it also includes respect for its territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” he said. Iran also says implementation has already begun on the ground. According to the spokesman, inspections found that Iranian vessels were able to enter and leave ports without difficulty, which he said shows that the U.S. has started fulfilling its commitment to lift the naval blockade.
