Birdnow's Aviary

June 18, 2026

The Flawed Iran Deal

Timothy Birdnow

Here is the memorandum of understanding that forms the framework for a peace deal with Iran:

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, together with their allies in the current war, declare upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and undertake that from now on they will not launch any hostile action against each other, and will refrain from the threat or use of force against each other. The final agreement will confirm the provisions of this Article and the remaining Articles.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States undertake to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States undertake to negotiate and reach a final agreement within a maximum period of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent.

Immediately upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, the United States Lift the naval blockade and prevent any interference or obstruction against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and restore traffic within a maximum of 30 days to its full capacity; the traffic of ships shall be proportional to the pre-war volume of traffic on the part of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States also undertakes to withdraw its forces from the surrounding areas within 30 days after the final agreement.

Upon signing this Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately take steps to ensure that the movement of merchant ships from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa is resumed within 30 days to the pre-war volume, taking into account the need for the removal of technical obstacles and the neutralization of mines by Iran.

The United States undertakes, together with its regional partners, to create a comprehensive plan agreed upon by both parties for the rehabilitation and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, While ensuring financing of at least $300 billion. The implementation mechanism of this plan, as part of the final agreement, will be formulated within 60 days.

The United States commits to ending, on a schedule to be agreed upon as part of the final agreement, all types of sanctions currently facing the Islamic Republic of Iran, including resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and all unilateral U.S. sanctions, both primary and secondary.

The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates that it will never produce nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States have agreed that the fate of enriched material and the fate of all other mutually agreed nuclear-related issues, including Iran's nuclear needs, will be adequately addressed in a final agreement; the final agreement will confirm the provisions of this Article.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States agree that, pending a final agreement, they will maintain the status quo: Iran will maintain the status quo on its nuclear program, and the United States will not impose new sanctions on Iran or strengthen its forces in the region.

The United States undertakes that immediately after the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, and until the date of the lifting of sanctions, the United States Treasury Department will issue waivers for exports of Iranian crude oil, petrochemical products and their derivatives, and all related services, including banking, insurance, transportation, and the like.

The United States undertakes that, in light of the progress of negotiations towards a final agreement, frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be released and made fully available. These funds, whether held in the master account or transferred, will be used for any final beneficiary payment determined by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran and will be fully available for use. The United States undertakes to issue all necessary permits and licenses on this basis.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States agree that an implementation mechanism will be established to oversee the successful implementation of and future commitment to the Final Agreement.

Following the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, and upon receipt of assurances regarding the commencement of implementation of Articles 4, 5, 10, and 11 of this Memorandum of Understanding, and the continued implementation of these steps, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States will enter into negotiations for a Final Agreement solely with respect to the remaining Articles.

The final agreement will be approved through a binding resolution of the UN Security Council

Right off the bat this thing is flawed insofar as Iran will claim Hezbollah is not under their control and that they did not break the deal when Hez Angels launches a new round of attacks on Israel - and they will say WE broke the treaty when Israel hits back.

The fourth point requires us to withdraw all forces from the region within 30 days of the end of the blockade too, which means we have to be out of the Persian Gulf and possibly out of the Arabian sea as well. What is to stop Iran from hostile action at that point?

Point six says we give Iran $300 billion for reconstruction. So we ARE bribing Iran, as did the Obama Administration before us. This is over twice as much as Mr. Obama sent them.

We should not give Iran any money at all to settle this. If we do the Iranian government will crow about us being forced to pay reparations, and thus claim victory over us.

Frankly, I think we should have just walked away and left this as a problem for the Europeans to deal with if Mr. Trump did not want to resume the attack. We have lots of oil of our own.

Point eight says that the "status quo" will be maintained on nuclear weapons programs. After saying Iran would not attempt to obtain a nuclear weapon in point seven they turn around and say this. The status quo was Iran enriching uranium and working towards missile systems to deliver such a deadly payload.

The last point says there will be a "binding agreement" with the U.N. as guarantor. Fat chance any of that will matter to Iran or the U.N.

This doesn't sound like a very good deal to me.

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at 09:19 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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