Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaie said Thursday that the idea of signing the Memorandum of Understanding directly by the presidents of Iran and the United States is under consideration. He clarified that contrary to earlier reports, his previous remarks did not state that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would appear at the signing ceremony, according to Tasnim.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaie clarified tonight that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will not appear at the signing ceremony for the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU), correcting earlier misreports that had surfaced in some outlets. Speaking to Tasnim, Baghaie also confirmed that one option under consideration is for the presidents of Iran and the United States to sign the document directly. The remarks came after The Zioneer had reported earlier Wednesday (20:32 Jerusalem) initial suggestions by Iranian officials that President Donald Trump and Mojtaba Khamenei might sign in Switzerland — a version that was quickly walked back within the same thread, as Baghaie subsequently clarified that Mojtaba Khamenei would not attend.
The clarification is the latest turn in a fast-moving thread. At 22:56 Jerusalem Wednesday, The Zioneer quoted Baghaie warning that continued IDF activity in southern Lebanon would be considered a breach of the MoU. Earlier Thursday (00:44 Jerusalem), Baghaie stated that Lebanon is mentioned three times in the MoU's first article and that Iran has proven it does not abandon its friends. Venue details have also shifted: initial reports from Wednesday evening (20:32 Jerusalem) mentioned Switzerland as the location; tonight's statements did not specify a venue, leaving that detail open.
Throughout the thread, the progression of sourcing has moved from unnamed Iranian channels to on-record statements by Baghaie. The earlier misattribution regarding Mojtaba Khamenei's role — first reported by some Iranian outlets and picked up by international media — was explicitly corrected by the spokesman himself, indicating the sensitivity of the signing format in Tehran.
A key open question remains: the exact format and date of the signing have not been confirmed. Baghaie declined to rule out a signing within days, as The Zioneer reported earlier this week (00:44 Jerusalem, Thursday). Whether the presidents will sign in person or electronically, and whether Switzerland or another venue will host the ceremony, has not been settled.
7 developments
- ConfirmedIranian spokesman: MoU focuses on ending war, not nuclear issue
- DevelopingTrump says he may read the US-Iran MOU aloud in a press conference
- DevelopingAxios: Iran tells regional states 'in-principle' MOU agreement; needs Mojtaba Khamenei's OK
- StrongTrump says he was told Mojtaba Khamenei agreed to the Iran deal
Source and signal
- Internal intake