Iranian leaders declared victory after Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending more than three months of conflict in the Middle East, dismissing the agreement as evidence of American failure even as U.S. officials hailed Iran’s nuclear concessions as a major diplomatic achievement.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator and speaker of parliament, said the agreement would ultimately damage Washington’s standing rather than strengthen it.
“This agreement is proof of the United States’ failure,” Ghalibaf said in an interview with Iranian state television, according to The Times of Israel. “People will see it and judge.”
The agreement, signed Wednesday, establishes a framework for ending hostilities that began after U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran on Feb. 28 triggered months of missile and drone exchanges across the region.
The memorandum also drew praise from Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, who described it as “a great victory” for Iran.
Qassem thanked Tehran for continuing to support Lebanon throughout the conflict with Israel, saying Iran had remained committed despite the military and economic pressures it faced during the war.
Under the framework agreement, Iran agreed to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium, including through a process that could involve blending down nuclear material under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog.
A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously during a conference call with reporters, described Tehran’s acceptance of those conditions as one of Washington’s most significant diplomatic gains.
“The fact that they agreed to that is a major, major victory for the United States,” the official said.
In return, Iran will be allowed to resume oil exports immediately after the agreement takes effect. Broader U.S. sanctions are expected to be lifted if the two countries successfully conclude a comprehensive accord following a 60-day negotiating period established under the memorandum.
President Donald Trump indicated that the agreement could be formally completed within days after earlier plans called for Ghalibaf and Vice President JD Vance to oversee the signing.
Speaking during the Group of Seven summit in Evian, France, Trump said the agreement reached over the weekend would soon become official.
“The agreement we reached with Iran on Sunday will be signed very soon, tomorrow, maybe the day after,” Trump said.
He added that he might remain in Europe for the signing ceremony but emphasized that the current document remained a memorandum of understanding rather than a final treaty, meaning his personal signature might not ultimately be required.
Trump also warned that Washington was prepared to launch renewed military action if Tehran violated its commitments.
He said the United States stood ready to “bomb Iran into oblivion” should the Islamic Republic fail to comply with the agreement.
International reaction to the memorandum has been mixed.
China welcomed the diplomatic breakthrough but urged all parties to fully implement their commitments. Beijing said its top diplomat had emphasized to Iranian officials the importance of honoring every provision of the agreement to preserve regional stability.
Criticism also emerged from within the United States.
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy argued the agreement risks allowing Iran to rebuild its military and economic strength while failing to permanently eliminate its nuclear ambitions.
“Iran’s nuclear ambitions have not been restrained, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works,” Cassidy said.
He added that sanctions relief combined with an end to military operations amounted to “the worst foreign policy mistake in decades.”
Under the memorandum, negotiators from both countries will spend the next two months working toward a comprehensive agreement covering Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief and regional security arrangements.
One of the first expected outcomes is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that carries a substantial share of the world’s oil and natural gas exports.
Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, violence has not completely subsided.
Lebanese state media reported that at least five people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon after the agreement was announced.
The Israeli military also said five soldiers were wounded Wednesday, including one seriously, in a drone explosion in southern Lebanon. The incident marked the first reported attack of its kind since the United States and Iran announced their peace framework, underscoring the fragile security environment that negotiators must now navigate as they seek to transform the memorandum into a lasting settlement.
