What does the U.S.-Iran agreement say? | Explained
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- The U.S. and Iran signed an MoU on June 15 ending 40 days of war and 60-plus days of negotiations, requiring Iran to remove Strait of Hormuz impediments, including mines, within 30 days of signing.
- Iran has demanded $24 billion in frozen funds be released and pledged never to develop a nuclear weapon, agreeing to downblend its 60% enriched uranium under IAEA supervision while deferring enrichment-level disputes to phase-two talks.
- The U.S. will issue waivers for Iran's crude oil exports and related services, including banking and transportation, and work with regional partners on a $300 billion reconstruction financing plan contingent on a final settlement.
- Israel launched the war on February 28 seeking regime change in Iran but now opposes the deal, with its maximalist goals collapsing after Iran survived 40 days of bombing and forced Washington to scale back demands.
- Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz refuse to withdraw Israeli troops from Southern Lebanon, prompting Iran to cancel its June 19 Geneva delegation and briefly close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Israeli strikes.
- Three unresolved issues — the Lebanon front, disposition of Iran's highly enriched uranium, and Iran's claim to enrich uranium for civilian purposes — leave the deal vulnerable, with Trump conceding HEU would be diluted "either in America or in Iran."
Why it matters: Israel's regime-change project in Iran collapsed after 40 days of bombing failed to topple Tehran, and Netanyahu's refusal to withdraw from Southern Lebanon now threatens to torpedo a deal Iran says would release $24 billion in frozen funds and lift oil sanctions. The three unresolved issues — Lebanon, Iran's HEU stockpile, and its enrichment right — give either side a ready pretext to walk away from the peace process.
