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Talks Called Off
Talks between the United States and Iran planned for Friday in Switzerland were called off, Switzerland’s foreign ministry said, after Vice President JD Vance said he would not be traveling to Switzerland for the U.S.-Iran technical talks.
The U.S. and Iran were set to negotiate a 14-point agreement on Friday in the Swiss village of Obbürgen, but the announcement came as President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran on Wednesday calling for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and waiving U.S.-backed sanctions.
The memorandum of understanding was signed late Wednesday at the Palace of Versailles in France with French President Emmanuel Macron standing alongside Trump, setting off a 60-day deadline for both sides to try to turn it into a final deal.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Thursday he had authorised a memorandum of understanding signed by the Iranian and U.S. presidents, after receiving assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials that Iran’s rights and the interests of the “Resistance Front” would be safeguarded.
In a written message to the Iranian nation, Khamenei pledged not to yield if Washington made what he described as excessive demands and said future face-to-face negotiations with the United States would not mean accepting “the enemy’s position.”
Critics, Polls, and Pressure
A majority of Americans disapprove of how President Trump has handled the U.S. conflict with Iran, with the Associated Press-NORC survey finding 65 percent of U.S. adults disapprove of Trump’s handling of the issue.
The Hill reported that 76 percent of independents and 92 percent of Democrats said they disapproved of how Trump has handled the Iranian issue, while only 28 percent of Republican respondents cast a negative view.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., called the emerging terms “awful” and predicted history would judge the agreement harshly, saying “This will go down as a tremendous foreign policy blunder,” and that “Iran ends up stronger.”
In Israel, i24NEWS said U.S. intelligence agencies have warned the Trump administration that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may take actions that could undermine Washington’s efforts to secure a lasting agreement with Iran.
i24NEWS also said the assessment reflected concerns that Netanyahu was facing growing domestic and political pressure to continue military operations in Lebanon, potentially conflicting with commitments outlined in the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding.
What’s at Stake Next
The BBC said the memorandum of understanding sets out a 60-day framework for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme while also confirming an immediate halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The BBC reported that the U.S. commitments include lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian shipping and working towards easing sanctions and pursuing with regional partners a reconstruction and economic development plan for Iran worth at least $300bn (£224bn).
In the same period, the U.S. and Iran were described by Reuters as committing to an immediate and permanent halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and negotiating a final agreement within 60 days that can be extended if both sides agree.
CNN Arabic reported that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the memorandum of understanding would take effect immediately, with the Islamic Republic of Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz immediately and the United States immediately lifting the naval blockade.
The BBC warned that if Tehran refuses to move on highly enriched uranium or the future shape of its nuclear programme, the process could collapse and the ceasefire itself may come under pressure, strengthening those in Washington and Israel who argue the MoU was used to buy time.
