President Trump [Reuters=Yonhap News]

The United States and Iran have reached a provisional agreement on the text of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war, which involves Iran abandoning its nuclear program in exchange for economic compensation from the US, it was learned on the 12th (local time).

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his expectation that both sides would sign the MOU to end the war by the 15th. Iran's leadership also responded positively, stating that a resolution to the negotiations was imminent.

A senior U.S. administration official told reporters during a briefing that the MOU signing "leads to the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program" and includes "commitments to dismantling and decommissioning nuclear facilities."

He also stated that the MOU "results in the United States obtaining enriched (nuclear) material," and that "the agreement stipulates that this material will be destroyed on-site and removed from the country."

The official explained that once both sides sign the MOU to end the war, technical negotiations will follow for 60 days to discuss "how to destroy and remove the enriched nuclear material."

Notably, Iran has pledged not to acquire or develop nuclear weapons "indefinitely," the official said. In return, civilian nuclear power generation will not be an issue.

The official emphasized that inspections and verification will be conducted regarding the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program and the disposal of nuclear materials, and "they will receive some benefits from the agreement once satisfactory results are achieved."

In the current reality of a lack of mutual trust between the United States and Iran, the official explained that this is a "performance-based deal" where economic compensation will be provided in proportion to Iran's compliance.

He stated, "I do not believe Iran will adhere to the agreement. I believe it is structured in such a way that benefits will not be provided to them until they fulfill their obligations."

The MOU includes the opening of the Strait of Hormuz immediately upon signing, and the U.S. will lift its maritime blockade against Iran in conjunction with the opening of Hormuz.

Furthermore, the MOU is also expected to include provisions guaranteeing long-term peace in the Middle East, the official said.

In this regard, the senior official had previously stated through U.S. media that Iran would pledge not to fund "terrorist organizations" (pro-Iranian armed groups), including Hezbollah.

He added, "This does not mean abandoning self-defense. If Iran fails to fulfill its obligations (to stop funding terrorist groups), we cannot expect Israel not to retaliate."

President Trump told Axios, an American online media outlet, that he thought a signing ceremony for the MOU could be possible this weekend (13th-14th) or Monday (15th). The senior official also stated, "We expect to sign the agreement within days."

Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament [AFP=Yonhap News]

Iran also confirmed the provisional agreement on the MOU, stating that a resolution was imminent without specifying a date. A senior U.S. official described the probability of reaching an agreement at 80-85% at present. However, reports from local media have emerged with slightly different details regarding the MOU compared to the U.S. explanation.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament, who led Iran's negotiation delegation, wrote on social media X (formerly Twitter), "Promises once made must be kept. No preconditions, exceptions, or excuses are acceptable," adding, "There is no other way for an agreement that is on the verge of resolution."

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, also stated, "We are closer than ever to the 'Islamabad MOU' (end-of-war MOU)." President Trump shared a post containing Araghchi's remarks on his social media.

Previously, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the end-of-war negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, stated, "We have reached the Final, agreed upon text," and "We are working closely with both the U.S. and Iran on follow-up actions."

Iran's Mehr News Agency, claiming to have obtained a 14-point MOU, reported that it includes ▲ immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon ▲ U.S. commitment to non-interference in Iran's internal affairs and respect for its sovereignty ▲ complete lifting of the U.S. maritime blockade within 30 days ▲ withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region surrounding Iran.

The agency also reported that it includes ▲ resumption of passage through the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days ▲ deferral of sanctions on oil, petrochemical products, and derivatives, and ensuring full access to financial assets for Iran ▲ presentation of an Iranian reconstruction plan worth at least $300 billion (approximately 450 trillion won) by the U.S. and its allies.

Furthermore, it reported that there are provisions for future negotiations, including ▲ 60 days of negotiations to reach a final agreement, including the withdrawal of sanctions related to Iran's nuclear issue, U.S. primary and secondary sanctions, UN Security Council resolutions, and IAEA Board of Governors resolutions ▲ reaffirmation of Iran's commitment not to manufacture nuclear weapons.

Iran's renunciation of nuclear weapons, a peace system across the Middle East, the opening of Hormuz, and the lifting of the maritime blockade generally align with the U.S. official's explanation. The details regarding the dismantling of the existing nuclear program and the disposal of nuclear materials, the "performance-based payments" in exchange for economic compensation, and the prohibition of support for terrorist groups were not reported.

The U.S. official emphasized the withdrawal of U.S. troops and post-war reconstruction support, which were not mentioned by the U.S. official, and this can be seen as a result of both the U.S. and Iran interpreting and emphasizing these points favorably, considering domestic public opinion or their supporting factions (Israel, Hezbollah, etc.).

President Trump strongly denied the Mehr News Agency's report, stating, "The conditions for ending the war that Iran leaked to fake news are completely unrelated to the conditions agreed upon in writing."