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U.S. and Iran Sign Interim MOU to Pause Fighting and Reopen Strait of Hormuz

A 60-day IAEA‑monitored technical phase will follow to settle nuclear verification, sanctions sequencing and frozen‑asset arrangements; regional fighting and U.S. political opposition threaten the pact’s durability.

Overview

  • The 14-point Memorandum of Understanding pauses active hostilities, lifts the U.S. naval blockade and reopens the Strait of Hormuz while triggering a roughly 60-day technical window under IAEA oversight to resolve nuclear verification and related technical issues.
  • Immediate economic steps under the MOU include phased sanctions waivers that allow limited oil and petrochemical exports and the return of a small portion of frozen Iranian assets rather than a single large cash transfer.
  • The text commits the U.S. and regional partners to develop a multilateral reconstruction plan that references 'at least USD 300 billion' as a target for planning purposes and does not promise an immediate unilateral U.S. payment.
  • Face-to-face technical talks planned in Switzerland have been postponed because renewed IsraelHezbollah fighting has increased regional volatility and complicated logistics for negotiators.
  • Prominent U.S. Democrats and Israeli outlets have criticized the pact, with some calling for Congressional review and others mischaracterizing the $300 billion language, a backlash that analysts warn could strengthen hardliners and undermine verification efforts.