Axios reports that Iranian officials have told regional countries that an 'in-principle' agreement has been reached on the memorandum of understanding, but the deal still requires approval from Mojtaba Khamenei, according to a single source cited by the outlet. The report comes amid conflicting signals in recent days: prior bulletins noted Iranian denials of a deal, US VP Vance's fluctuating timelines, and reports of an Iranian counter-draft.
The Axios report, attributed to a single Iranian source, states that Tehran has signaled 'in-principle' agreement on the MOU to regional intermediaries but conditions the deal on Mojtaba Khamenei's formal approval. Mojtaba, the son of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and a key figure in the regime's inner circle, is widely seen as a potential successor; his reported role as a final approver suggests the deal remains contingent on the highest level of clerical authority.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past week (BACKGROUND items), the public signal environment has been heavily contradictory. On June 5, IAEA head Rafael Grossi said the sides were close to a deal. By June 8, an Iranian source told Al Jazeera that the US had made unacceptable changes to the draft and demanded unfrozen funds and sanctions relief. On June 9, VP Vance gave a diverging timeline — 'next week or months' — while a Pakistani source claimed contacts were underway to finalize the MOU that same week. Earlier today, conflicting bulletins covered both an Iranian denial ('memorandum not yet announced by Tehran') and Trump's claim that Israel had approved the final clauses.
The current report does not resolve those contradictions: it adds a 'in-principle' signal but leaves both the full text and the timeline uncertain, and it remains a single-source claim. The identity of the approving official — Mojtaba, not the Supreme Leader directly — may indicate the succession dynamics playing out behind the nuclear talks.
- StrongTrump says he was told Mojtaba Khamenei agreed to the Iran deal
- DevelopingSource: Iran deal reached at foreign minister level, IRGC commander seeks Khamenei's final approval
- StrongIran official says two issues remain before MoU can be signed swiftly
- DevelopingSenior US official: 'We think we have a deal' on Iran
Source and signal
- Internal intake