The United States and Iran have digitally signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending months of conflict between the two countries, a senior US official said on Monday. The agreement was signed electronically by US President Donald Trump, vice president JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, with a formal signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday.
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US President Donald Trump said on Monday that vice president JD Vance would attend the formal signing ceremony for a newly agreed memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran in Switzerland later this week, adding that the text of the agreement would be made public shortly after the event.
Speaking about the upcoming ceremony, Trump hinted that while his attendance is not confirmed yet, US vice president JD Vance would be present in Switzerland on Friday.
Trump further said the contents of the agreement would be released after the formal signing ceremony.
The memorandum lays out a framework for a 60-day halt in fighting, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US blockade on Iran, according to the official.
Vance, in an interview with ABC News, confirmed the memorandum's digital signing and that leaders would gather in Switzerland later this week for a formal signing ceremony.
Iran signals further negotiations after signing
Despite the breakthrough, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that the agreement would mark the beginning rather than the end of negotiations between the two sides. Speaking after a meeting with members of the Iranian Parliament’s Economic Commission, Araghchi said further talks were expected after the Swiss ceremony and stressed that Tehran remained cautious because of past experiences.
“We plan the process of negotiations and implementation of the agreement based on distrust, breach of commitments, and past experiences,” he said. “We try to create economic breakthroughs for the country as much as we can through the agreement,” the diplomat added.
According to the senior US official, technical discussions on carrying out the terms of the memorandum will begin later this week, while further details are likely to be made public within the next 24 to 48 hours.
The official said any relief involving frozen Iranian funds and sanctions would depend on Tehran complying with the terms of the understanding. Broader negotiations between the two sides are also expected to continue beyond the initial 60-day period outlined in the agreement.
US military posture to remain unchanged for now
While the memorandum is designed to reduce tensions, Washington does not plan to immediately alter its military posture in the region. The senior US official said the United States intends to maintain its current force levels during the next stage of talks, with any reduction in military deployments to be considered only after a final agreement is reached.
Vance also told Fox News that the memorandum contains an assurance that Iran will never produce, procure or buy a nuclear weapon. However, negotiations concerning Tehran's nuclear programme are expected to continue separately from the current arrangement.
