Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the Memorandum of Understanding with the United States has already been signed digitally. He said team heads may meet in Switzerland on Friday for a formal signing, followed by a 60-day negotiation round on nuclear and sanctions issues, with a possible extension. Araghchi framed the process on a basis of distrust due to past U.S. breaches of commitments.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Monday evening that the Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States has already been signed digitally. Speaking on the 'Bitkhon Sadeh' channel, Araghchi said a formal signing ceremony with the heads of the negotiating teams may take place in Switzerland on Friday, June 19, followed by the first round of negotiations. He outlined a two-stage framework: the MOU, which he said is finalized and partly being implemented as of today, and then a 60-day negotiation round covering nuclear issues and sanctions relief, with a possible extension. Araghchi stressed a basis of distrust due to past U.S. breaches of commitments.
This statement resolves days of conflicting signals the desk has tracked throughout the week. As early as Monday morning (Mon 09:02 Jerusalem), The Zioneer reported an NYT account of a senior Iranian delegation meeting VP Vance in Geneva for a signing. By Mon 11:04 Jerusalem, Araghchi had conditioned the signing on an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. On Friday (Fri 22:57 Jerusalem), Araghchi himself said the MOU text was not yet finalized. By Mon 16:59 Jerusalem, an American briefing (via N12's Amit Segal) and a White House official (via Israel Hayom) both confirmed the MOU was signed, contradicting Araghchi's Friday statement. Tonight's confirmation from Araghchi himself resolves that ambiguity—the digital phase was complete; Friday's event is the formalization.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday (Jun 12), Pakistan's Prime Minister confirmed the ceremony in Geneva for the 'Islamabad Agreement'. The White House confirmation Monday also placed the formal ceremony on Friday. Araghchi tonight described the venue as Switzerland, leaving the precise city unconfirmed.
What remains open: the precise venue (Switzerland vs. Geneva), whether VP Vance will attend the Friday ceremony as the NYT reported (Mon 09:02 Jerusalem), and the content of the MOU's first implementation phase, which Araghchi said began today but gave no details on.
3 developments
Source and signal
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