Elliott Abrams told Newsmax on Monday he is concerned that the memorandum of understanding announced Sunday between the United States and Iran could fall short of the Trump administration’s stated goals, particularly on uranium enrichment, sanctions relief, and restrictions on Tehran’s regional activities.
Abrams, U.S. special envoy to Iran in President Donald Trump’s first term, repeatedly stressed on “Rob Schmitt Tonight” that key details of the agreement remain unknown because the text has not yet been released.
“Well, I’m worried about it,” Abrams said. “I have to say, we don’t know. I think we’ve got to start by saying we’ll see.”
Abrams questioned why the agreement has not been made public. A formal signing is expected to take place on Friday in Geneva.
“I don’t know why the terms of the deal aren’t released right now,” he said. “The president said in France [during the G7 summit] it would be released on Friday. Why? Why not right now? Today?”
Among his concerns is the future of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route. Although Trump has said the strait will reopen without tolls, Abrams said questions remain about whether Iran could impose other charges.
“I would like to see the strait back where it was, an international waterway. Anybody can use it,” Abrams said. “And that’s not what the Iranians are saying.”
Abrams also warned that the agreement might not permanently halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He contrasted the administration’s previous demand for “zero enrichment” with the possibility that Tehran could retain some enrichment capability under the new arrangement.
“Under the Obama deal, they were allowed to enrich,” said Abrams, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between the U.S., Western nations and Iran during the Obama administration. “Now, we’ve been saying, no, no, no, zero enrichment. President: zero. Well, I don’t know if that’s in the deal.”
He said even low-level enrichment would allow Iranian scientists to continue developing expertise that could later be used to expand the program.
“It may be that they can enrich to a low level,” Abrams said. “But then they’re learning really how to do it.”
Abrams also expressed concern that sanctions relief could strengthen the Islamic Republic rather than ordinary Iranians.
“When sanctions are lifted, the regime is going to get the money,” he said. “The regime that we know uses it for Hamas and Hezbollah.”
He noted that nothing announced so far addresses Iran’s missile program and warned that Tehran could use new resources to rebuild those capabilities.
Calling for continued skepticism, Abrams said the Iranian government remains “the same Islamic Revolutionary Guard regime” that has “killed hundreds and hundreds of Americans over the years.”
“This is a terrorist regime,” he said.
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