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From the Iranian negotiations, a strong pattern has emerged: anything the U.S. says that they’ve agreed to, they deny. This has happened repeatedly, to the point where we have to ask ourselves why they reject our statements? Are our government officials misunderstanding them? Do Trump and Vance purposely misstate what has been agreed to? Or does Iran think that their defiance and disagreement give a picture of strength and victory for their side? To demonstrate the frequency of these denials, let’s take them one at a time:Vance confirmed yesterday in a press statement that the United States had agreed to...

Trump is playing a very long game with Iran. He has until 2028 to get the job done, and he is prepared to take as much time as is needed to make it happen. He’s going to rope-a-dope with them until the midterms are over. He needs to get gas prices down, get the economy in general up, and starve the Democrats and their media co-conspirators of events that can be used against him. He’ll navigate Iran bad news like he navigated ICE bad news—not just get it off the front burner but get it off the stove entirely by...

WASHINGTON/DUBAI, June 19 (Reuters) - Switzerland said U.S. talks with Iranian negotiators on a pact to end the Middle East conflict would not take place on Friday, as Vice President JD Vance dropped plans to travel to Geneva, adding to uncertainty whether a lasting truce can be found. "The logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable," the White House spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday night. Vance and the U.S. delegation had been ready to depart as soon as plans were finalised. The talks, set for the mountaintop resort of Burgenstock, would not take place, Switzerland's...

President Donald Trump kicked off his Thursday morning by lashing out at critics of his 14-point deal with Iran, calling them “fools.” On Truth Social, Trump bragged about stock market gains this week and average gas prices falling slightly since the announcement of the memorandum of understanding (MOU), which can be read here. The deal has found critics on both sides of the political aisle, with some arguing that the deal is not tough enough on Iran. Others have also red-flagged framework in the deal that would set up a $300 billion reconstruction fund, as well as sanctions being lifted...

I'm pretty much a hawk on Iran and certainly don't trust them to hold their part of any deal. Putting that aside for a moment... Note, numbered paragraphs below are not meant to correspond to MOU numbering. 1 - Why do we even need a deal? If, for whatever reason, the US doesn't want to fight anymore, we can stop and leave without ceremony. Let them wonder if we'll hit them again. They know what prompted our attack. The US doesn't owe them a written apology. Iran misbehaved, we b*tch slapped them, so now -Bye! What's wrong with that? Worried...

Senior U.S. officials on Wednesday dictated the 14 points of the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, reading the text of the agreement to reporters on a phone call. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity. Iran has not officially released the memorandum. Key points of the deal include: *Both sides agreed to "the immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." *Iran can begin exporting oil as soon as the MOU is signed. *Iran "will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge...

The United States on Wednesday released the official text of the memorandum of understanding reached over the weekend with Iran. A senior US administration official read out the 14-point document, which spells out provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing certain financial restrictions on Iran and sets out expectations for addressing Iran’s nuclear program during future technical talks. Titled the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the document was released after outcry that its text hadn’t been released publicly. “This is fundamentally an agreement that allows us to open...

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth all have voiced doubts about Iran’s commitment not to build a nuclear weapon. Rubio and Hegseth speak to press. Malcolm Ferguson. June 16, 2026 CIA Director John Ratcliffe and others within the Trump administration don’t think Iran is being serious about its promise not to develop or attain nuclear weapons, according to anonymous sources from Axios.

US negotiators are working to quickly release the text of the agreement between Washington and Tehran, even as they downplay the significance of the specific language in the document, US officials told CNN.The officials described the text of the agreement as incredibly vague, mainly intended to create a more favorable environment for the highly technical, in-person talks to come. They added that the framework is aimed at providing Iran the ability to sell it politically to their internal audience.Additionally, the officials said that the text of the memorandum of understanding — which Vice President JD Vance told CNN Monday is...

It's time to release the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran. Speculation is running rampant about what's in it, and leaks from the administration are making Trump's allies very nervous because they all seem to suggest that Iran's propaganda about what's in it is largely accurate. Vice President Vance is spinning like a top that it's really a great deal, and all the great benefits Iran claims it will get depend on performance, but unless we know what is in the MOU, we don't know what "performance" really means. (snip) One thing we do know is that...

The US secretly approved a financial and maritime arrangement between Qatar and Iran, under which billions of dollars were paid to Tehran in exchange for free passage for Qatari tankers and ships through the Strait of Hormuz, three diplomatic officials now confirm. This was a deliberate and conscious course of action by the US administration, which allowed its navy to turn a blind eye to the arrangement, in complete contradiction of its declared policy. The move was intended to ease the crisis in global energy markets and curb rising oil prices. The current revelation proves that the White House had...

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States has reached a peace deal with Iran, and the contrast with what Barack Obama handed the world in 2015 could not be starker. "The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete," Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday. "Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!" The naval blockade on Iranian ports has already lifted. The Strait of Hormuz is open. And for the first time in a long time, there's an actual framework that puts nuclear weapons permanently off the table. Results are happening. Oil...

The old saying is a lie goes around the world before the truth gets its boots on. When we're discussing the Islamic Republic of Iran regime, or what's left of it, they certainly do not need a head start. They lie like you and I breathe. As with any good rollercoaster, this past weekend provided more unexpected twists and turns. And even though Donald Trump claims we're headed back to the station with a deal, it's hard to see it around the blind corner in front of us. George W. Bush's Secretary of Defense, the Late Donald Rumsfeld, used to...

This Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the whole Region. Many presidents have tried to make Peace with Iran, and all have failed before me. The Leaders of the Region have, for the first time, found a President who can help them achieve real Peace. With the opening of the Strait upon the signing of the Deal on Friday, for purposes of mine removal, oil will flow on both ends again for the Region, and the World! President DONALD J. TRUMP

The main headline of Sunday’s Yediot Aharonot, a popular Hebrew daily, summed up in two words the prevailing sentiment in Israel over President Trump’s emerging cease-fire agreement with Iran: “Bad Deal.” Israel waged two wars against Iran in the past year, the most recent one the campaign launched in late February with U.S. forces. Now Israel, which had not been a party to the Trump administration’s negotiations with Iran, is being left out of the potential peace... Even before the announcement came on Sunday that a cease-fire agreement had been reached, the details that had surfaced in news media reports...

US President Donald Trump has confirmed Pakistan's report that the US and Iran have reached a deal. "The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete," he writes on Truth Social. "I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade," he says. "Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!" Pakistan PM's statement in fullpublished Here is the full statement from Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has just announced that a peace deal between US and Iran...

The U.S. and Iran, together with Pakistani and Qatari mediators, are expected to hold a virtual meeting on Sunday and electronically sign a memorandum of understanding that will extend the ceasefire by 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and launch negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. (snip) What they're saying: "We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalization likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X on Saturday. Shortly...

The United Arab Emirates has agreed to unlock billions of dollars for Iran, four sources ​said, in a tactical shift after weeks of Iranian attacks on the wealthy Gulf Arab state during the U.S.-Israeli war with the Islamic Republic. (snip) Two regional sources told Reuters the UAE had agreed to release a total of $10 billion, more than $3 billion of which had already been delivered. Two other sources with knowledge of the arrangement put the total funds involved at $20 billion, adding that the move had been agreed in return for a ​halt to Iranian attacks on the UAE....

The U.S. and Iran could reportedly sign a peace deal as soon as Sunday, after Iranian state media said the draft deal included a commitment from the U.S. to lift oil sanctions and a pledge from Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. The 14-point document dictates that final negotiations will not begin until the release of half of Iran’s frozen funds, the suspension of Iran’s oil sanctions and the lifting of the naval blockade, the Mehr News Agency reported. All American forces would need to withdraw from Iran, and the U.S. and its allies would need...

Four U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft departed for Europe on Thursday, carrying equipment for a possible signing ceremony in Geneva. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed earlier that the United States had reached a "great settlement" with Iran to end the war, while Tehran said it had "not yet reached a final decision," as Iran's hardline faction warned that Trump may be bluffing. If signed, the "Islamabad Agreement" would immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz without transit fees, extend the ceasefire for 60 days, including in Lebanon, and open nuclear negotiations, representing the most significant diplomatic breakthrough in the war.What's...