Iran Releases Draft Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S.: 14 Clauses Heavily Favoring Iran

The Iranian Mehr News Agency has released the draft Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States, consisting of a total of 14 clauses:

1. Immediate and comprehensive cessation of hostilities across all fronts, including in Lebanon.

2. The United States pledges to strictly adhere to the principle of non-interference in Iran’s internal affairs and respect the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

3. Complete lifting of maritime blockades within 30 days.

4. Withdrawal of U.S. military forces from regions surrounding Iran.

5. Restoration of normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days, in coordination with agreements reached with Iran.

6. Suspension of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil, petrochemical products, and related derivatives; full access to Iran’s own financial assets allowed.

7. The United States and its allies will provide Iran with an infrastructure reconstruction package totaling $300 billion.

8. A 60-day negotiation period to achieve a final agreement on nuclear issues, with complete elimination of both primary and secondary U.S. sanctions.

9. Iran commits not to develop nuclear weapons.

10. During negotiations, the United States pledges no new sanctions and no expansion of military presence in the region.

11. Within the 60-day final negotiation window, $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets will be unfrozen; half of this amount must be made available prior to the start of negotiations.

12. Establishment of a mechanism to monitor implementation of the agreement.

13. Final agreement must be approved by a UN Security Council resolution.

14. Final negotiations can only commence after at least half of Iran’s frozen assets are unfrozen, oil-related sanctions are suspended, and maritime blockades are lifted. The final agreement will focus exclusively on uranium enrichment materials, enrichment activities, removal of sanctions, and Iran’s economic recovery plan.

One: Core Characteristics of the Clauses

1. Extremely one-sided conditions favoring Iran

The draft sets numerous concessions by the U.S. as prerequisites for negotiations: requiring the unfreezing of half of Iran’s overseas assets, lifting of oil sanctions and maritime blockades, before formal talks even begin. Simultaneously, it demands the withdrawal of U.S. troops from areas near Iran and the provision of massive reconstruction funding—extremely high demands. In contrast, Iran only offers the minimal commitment of not developing nuclear weapons, resulting in severe imbalance in reciprocity.

2. Broad scope of issues, linking regional security and economy

The document ties together regional warfare, sea lanes, military deployments, financial assets, energy trade, nuclear issues, and post-conflict reconstruction—not merely a bilateral nuclear negotiation between Iran and the U.S., but rather a comprehensive package addressing regional security and economic matters, aiming to resolve years of mutual antagonism in one go.

3. Additional international oversight mechanisms

Requiring final agreement to be endorsed by the UN Security Council aims to enhance the legal authority and binding nature of the agreement, preventing future unilateral abrogation by the U.S.

Two: Assessment of Practical Feasibility

1. Extremely low likelihood of short-term implementation

This draft leans heavily toward Iran’s idealized demands and significantly challenges core U.S. interests—including Middle East military positioning, sanction systems, and geopolitical advantages. It is highly unlikely that the U.S. would accept such sweeping preconditions, including full concessions, troop withdrawals, and assuming trillions in reconstruction costs. The gap between positions remains enormous.

2. Strategic manipulation hidden in negotiation sequence

Setting U.S. concessions as prerequisites for talks reflects a classic negotiating tactic. Past Iran-U.S. negotiations typically began with framework discussions followed by gradual sanction relief. This draft reverses the order, dramatically raising the threshold for U.S. participation.

3. Regional interlinkages increase complexity

Including regional conflicts like those in Lebanon within the framework means the success or failure of the agreement depends not just on Iran and the U.S., but also involves multiple other actors, further complicating diplomatic mediation.

Three: Overall Summary

This draft memorandum appears more like Iran’s maximum demand list than a compromise reached through mutual negotiation. The terms are radical, with unequal responsibilities between the parties. At this stage, it is highly unlikely to become a viable, implementable agreement. Most probably, it serves merely as a diplomatic bargaining chip and initial position for negotiations. Should actual talks proceed, both sides will inevitably face prolonged haggling and substantial revisions to the clause content.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868026102910976/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.