iran-deal-signing-text-release

51 mins ago - World

U.S. and Iran discuss moving up signing of deal, sources say

Barak Ravid

Men at desk — Vance, Trump and Rubio (L-R) in the Oval Office. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty

The U.S., Iran and the mediators are discussing holding the signing of the memorandum of understanding remotely as early as Wednesday, rather than in-person on Friday, according to a diplomat from one of the mediating countries and a second source familiar with the discussions.

Why it matters: If that happens, the MOU would be signed electronically, the parts of the deal concerning the Strait of Hormuz would go into effect, and the U.S. might finally release the text of the agreement.

The diplomatic source said the discussions around accelerating the timetable were intended to open the strait sooner than Friday, as both parties were in agreement on that issue.
Another factor could be the political pressure on the White House to release the text of the MOU. The source familiar with the discussions claimed it was Iran that demanded the text not be published until the formal signing, and denied the White House was responding to political pressure.
The diplomatic source said it was likely the text would be published some time on Wednesday.

State of play: As of Wednesday morning, no final decision had been made about shifting the signing.

The White House declined to comment.

Driving the news: Even if the timing changes, the meeting between the U.S. and Iranian delegations headed by Vice President Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf will take place as planned on Friday in Switzerland, the sources said.

They are expected to discuss the launching of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.

The intrigue: A senior administration official told reporters that the deal was signed electronically on Sunday by President Trump, Vance and Ghalibaf.

The diplomatic source claimed no such signing had taken place.
The source familiar claimed it did happen and this would be a "second signing." It's unclear why two signings were necessary.

What to watch: The White House has said since Sunday that the opening of the strait by Iran and the lifting of the U.S. blockade would only begin on Friday, after the formal signing ceremony.