Officials confirm US, Iran sign memorandum of understanding

Our live coverage has now ended and will be back tomorrow at 9am BST. You can read more of our coverage of the end of the US-Israeli war on Iran here.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that it would be unfair for Iran not to have ballistic missiles if other countries have them.

"I'm saying that if other countries have them, it's a little bit unfair for them not to have some," Trump told reporters in Paris.

"If Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and they all have some, I would say in relative proportion, I think it's okay."

Trump also said the United States would leave its military in the Gulf "for a while" after Washington struck a deal with Tehran to end its nearly four-month conflict in the region.

US President Donald Trump and Iran's president signed a deal Wednesday meant to end the Middle East war, with Tehran agreeing to dilute its enriched uranium in return for large-scale economic relief.

Trump put his signature to the memorandum of understanding during dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles following a G7 summit, a US official told AFP.

"Just signed it," Trump told reporters as he emerged from the palace.

Iran's chief negotiator said the deal with Washington to end the Middle East war after more than three months was a "failure" for the United States.

"The agreement is a record of US failure. People will see it and judge," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on state TV late Wednesday after the text was released by both sides.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said early on Thursday that talks between Iran and the United States on Friday in Switzerland are not confirmed for now.

"The Friday meeting was confirmed until a few hours ago, but when it was decided that the presidents of the two sides (Iran and the US) would sign the agreement, it was decided to pause consideration of the Friday meeting for now," Baghaei said.

Iran's chief negotiator on Wednesday repeated Tehran would charge ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz after a 60-day fee-free period stipulated in a memorandum of understanding with the US.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in an interview aired on state television that the "Strait of Hormuz will not return to pre-war conditions", adding: "Iran has the right to sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and of course we will receive a fee for services."

The text of the agreement between the United States and Iran has been officially signed by the presidents of both sides, Iran state media reported early on Thursday, citing foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.

US President Donald Trump has signed a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war, a US official told AFP on Wednesday after Axios reported that the signing took place during a dinner with France's president.

"Can confirm the signing," the official said when asked about the report that Trump personally signed a copy during dinner with Macron at the Palace of Versailles following a G7 summit.

Below are the final points of the MoU signed by the US and Iran:

"Paragraph 11 - The United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the implementation of this MOU. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during the negotiations. Such funds, whether retained in the original account or transferred, shall be made fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorisations accordingly.

"Paragraph 12 - The United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran agree that an executive mechanism will be established to monitor the successful implementation of this MOU and the future compliance of the final deal

"Paragraph 13 - After signing this MOU and subject to the beginning of the implementation of Paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of this MOU, and the continuing implementation of these measures, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will start negotiations regarding the final deal exclusively on the other paragraphs.

"Paragraph 14 - The final deal will be endorsed by a binding UNSC resolution."

Here are more points of the MoU signed by Iran and the US: 

"Paragraph 8 - The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material pursuant to a mechanism that will be mutually agreed upon in accordance with the schedule mentioned in Paragraph 7, with the minimum methodology to be down-blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA. The two parties also agreed to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear needs, based on a satisfactory framework being agreed upon in the final deal. The final deal will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledge the critical importance of the nuclear issues above mentioned, and express their intention to immediately address these issues in the negotiation in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

"Paragraph 9 - Pending the final deal, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program, and the United States of America will not impose any new sanctions, and will not deploy additional forces in the region.

"Paragraph 10 - The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MOU, and until the termination of sanctions, US Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.

Here are further points of the MoU between the US and Iran:

"Paragraph 4 - Immediately upon the signing of this MOU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the traffic of vessels will be in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America further undertakes to remove its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal.

"Paragraph 5 - Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles, and de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states, in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.

"Paragraph 6 - The United States of America undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive mutually agreed plan with at least USD 300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mechanism for the implementation of this plan will be finalised as part of a final deal within 60 days. All required licenses, waivers, and permissions needed for the relevant financial transactions will be granted by the United States of America.

"Paragraph 7 - The United States of America undertakes to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the United Nations Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, primary and secondary, in an agreed-upon schedule as part of the final deal. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America acknowledge the critical importance of the sanctions termination issue above mentioned, and express their intentions to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

The following is the text of the memorandum of understanding, as read out by a senior US official to reporters on Wednesday:

"The United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran have jointly agreed in good faith on (a date yet to be determined, the official said), on the following:

"Paragraph 1 - The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war, by signing this MOU, declare an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.

"Paragraph 2 - The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs.

"Paragraph 3 - The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal in maximum 60 days extendable with mutual consent.

Tehran's foreign ministry on Wednesday said it was considering a plan for the presidents of the US and Iran to sign the deal ending the US-Israeli war on Iran, ahead of the expected ceremony in Switzerland.

"So far, our plans for the Geneva meeting have not changed," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.

"Regarding the signing of the memorandum of understanding, one idea is that it be done by the presidents of the two countries, which is currently under review."

Tehran had previously said the United States and Iran would be represented by Vice President JD Vance and parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, respectively.

Iran has agreed to dilute its enriched uranium stocks under its interim deal with the United States, senior US administration officials said Wednesday as they released what they said was the text of the agreement.

"The fact that they're conceding to that is a major, major win for the United States of America," one of the US officials said of the nuclear issue on a call with reporters.

The deal would also reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow Iranian oil sales, while the United States and its allies would also make plans for a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran.

The US officials read out the wording on a conference call after days of uncertainty about what was actually included in the deal that President Donald Trump announced on Sunday.

The outline deal will be followed by 60 days of negotiations on a final accord -- after which Trump said Washington could simply go back to "bombing" if Iran doesn't agree.

Both Iran and the US can walk away from the memorandum of understanding they are set to sign on Friday, and upcoming talks are likely to focus on the precise sequencing of the steps previewed in the preliminary accord, a senior US official told reporters on Wednesday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official read out the 14-point memorandum that is due to be formally signed in Switzerland.

They said the upcoming meeting there will be "critical" for ensuring that the memorandum of understanding can evolve into a comprehensive agreement.

"I think the meeting in Switzerland will be quite critical in order to really see how we get to the next phase," a senior US official said.

The document, as read out by the official, was similar to the 14-point memorandum that various media outlets, including Reuters, had already reported on earlier in the day. 

Israel has killed over 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the beginning of a ceasefire in October 2025, according to Gaza's health ministry.

1,005 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the ceasefire, with a further 3,157 being wounded, the ministry said.

In the last 24 hours, two Palestinians have been killed and another five wounded, it added.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a good man who gets a little excited sometimes, in comments about the Iran deal at the close of a G7 summit in France.

It is vital that Iran, Hezbollah and Israel do not resume fighting, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday at the G7 summit, adding that he supported a preliminary deal between the United States and Iran to end their war.

"It's a good deal and one that we back," said Macron.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended the US deal with Iran in his remarks at the close of a G7 summit in France, saying he did not want to see economic catastrophe.

"So the one thing I didn't want to see is, I didn't want to see economic catastrophe. If you kept this going, that could have happened," Trump told reporters.