Iran's Pezeshkian says parts of US deal memorandum remain undisclosed

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said U.S. President Donald Trump personally insisted on signing a bilateral memorandum of understanding, according to a televised interview. Pezeshkian said an initial outline agreement had been reached, with the document originally to be signed by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, before Iran elevated the signing to the head-of-state level in response. The Iranian president said the full details of the memorandum remain confidential and that only the publishable portion has been made public so far. He said the document contains provisions to halt the war in Lebanon, lift the embargo, return Iranian funds and release part of them, and ease or remove some sanctions. Pezeshkian added that the memorandum includes terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz under defined rules and stressed that Iran is committed to the agreement. Pezeshkian said Iran took reciprocal steps after the other side failed to meet its commitments. He rejected portrayals of the deal as a defeat for Iran, asserting that Tehran secured significant gains and forced the United States to retreat from its pressure campaign.