US Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Geneva to sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran, according to a US official cited by The Wall Street Journal. The official indicated that any easing of sanctions would remain conditional on Iran taking specific steps related to its nuclear program. Further technical discussions on unresolved issues could take place in Islamabad after the signing. President Donald Trump plans to encourage world leaders to strengthen monitoring efforts in the Strait of Hormuz. The return of a Qatari delegation from Tehran with a revised draft agreement last week was viewed as a significant breakthrough in the negotiations.
Vance had previously stated that any Iran deal would prioritize US and allied concerns, with economic benefits contingent on Tehran meeting obligations. He refuted reports of cash payments to Iran, emphasizing that economic benefits would follow Iran meeting its obligations. Reports suggest the agreement could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil for 60 days during an extended ceasefire, alongside a reported $300 billion reconstruction investment fund for Iran. A U.S. official told NewsNation that the two sides are 75 percent of the way to finalizing a deal that includes provisions to cut off Iran's funding to terrorist groups and prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the two sides have 'never been closer' to an agreement.
