Trump’s Memorandum With Iran Sets Two-Month Sprint Toward Nuclear Deal After Obama Withdrawal

President Donald Trump’s memorandum of understanding with Iran sets up a two-month sprint toward a longer-term deal over the fate of the Iranian nuclear program, eight years after Trump pulled out of the Obama-era nuclear agreement described as "disastrous" and "one-sided."

“Obama says 'doubtful' that any Iran deal will be different than past Obama weighed in on the Trump administration's handling of Iran”

ABC News

The CBS News account says the new framework is a 14-point plan that extends the ceasefire in the U.S.-Iran war and sets the stage for talks on a permanent nuclear agreement, while leaving specifics on Iran’s enriched uranium and nuclear program to be sorted out over the next 60 days.

ABC News

CBS News also reports that the memorandum does not include specifics on what will happen to Iran's enriched uranium or its nuclear program, and that the text was released by senior U.S. officials on Wednesday.

In parallel, ABC News says the expected deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lead to "the dismantling" of Iran's nuclear program and the U.S. getting Iran's highly enriched uranium, while the exact points remain unclear.

ABC News adds that the deal comes eight years after Trump withdrew the U.S. from a previous nuclear agreement with Iran that Trump described at the time of withdrawal as the "worst deal ever."

Former President Barack Obama told Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" that he was "doubtful" any agreement with Iran put forward by the Trump administration would be "significantly different" from the 2015 deal.

Obama said, "It is doubtful that any agreement that arises is going to be significantly different or a significant improvement from the deal that we had in the first place," and he urged policymakers to prioritize diplomacy over military action.

Atlantic Council

ABC News reports that Trump’s June 14 announcement on social media said a new deal had been reached, and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the deal had been finalized and said it would be signed in Switzerland on Friday.

In the CBS News comparison, Trump’s administration says its memorandum of understanding is far superior to the Obama administration's 2015 JCPOA and will do much more to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon.

CBS News also quotes Trump stressing enforcement language, saying he wanted to make sure Iran could never "procure" a nuclear weapon, and it contrasts that with the JCPOA text that Iran reaffirms it will not seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons.

The Atlantic Council analysis says the memorandum is a fourteen-point plan that codifies tenuous ceasefires and outlines areas for future negotiations, and it says the MOU does not appear to resolve core issues around the mechanics of the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian nuclear concessions, or Iranian financial incentives and sanctions relief.

“Washington — The memorandum of understanding that President Trump struck with Iran last weekend sets up a two-month sprint toward a longer-term deal over the fate of the Iranian nuclear program, eight years after Mr”

CBS News

The Atlantic Council also says the official signing set for June 19 was tied to an agreement that would remove the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and extend the current ceasefire, while warning that an MOU without a follow-on deal would be volatile and impossible to sustain on its own.

In CBS News’ comparison of the nuclear track, it reports the new memorandum says the two countries "agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material" and includes a "minimum" standard of "downblending" under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision, while not mentioning centrifuges.

CBS News adds that Iran’s uranium stockpile now includes uranium enriched to 60% purity, and it says the deal says mechanics of handling Iran's uranium will be decided in technical negotiations over the next 60 days.

Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post frames the stakes as what the emerging understanding does not address, arguing it is "hollow, devoid of substantive substance" and focusing on partially reopening the Strait of Hormuz and enabling the flow of funds into Iran, including the removal of some sanctions.