Vice President JD Vance is going to bat for the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, positioning himself as the deal’s chief salesman while delivering a pointed message to one of America’s closest allies: back off.
The MOU, digitally signed on June 15 by President Trump, Vance, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, is designed to pause hostilities and create a 60-day window for nuclear negotiations. It also reopens the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, a chokepoint that handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply. A formal signing ceremony is expected on June 19 in Geneva, with Trump having already signed a hard copy during the G7 summit on June 17.
What the deal actually includes
The agreement covers several high-stakes provisions. International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors would return to Iran, and Tehran would be required to destroy its highly enriched uranium reserves. In exchange, a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran has been proposed, though the specifics are being punted to future negotiations.
Vance has been adamant that the US won’t be writing any checks upfront. In multiple interviews, he stated the US would not provide “a dime” before Iran demonstrates compliance. The administration also reserves the right to snap sanctions back into place if Tehran doesn’t hold up its end.
