Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that Iran has suspended its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States. He cited U.S. military operations — which have been conducted in response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping — as the reason for the decision.

The Islamabad MoU, formally titled the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, was signed on June 17. It was mediated primarily by Pakistan, with facilitation from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt.

The agreement was designed to facilitate de-escalation of the conflict and provide an additional 60 days for discussions between the two sides, which could be mutually extended. Key sticking points included a complete end to Iran’s nuclear weapons program, as well as free and open transit of the vital Strait of Hormuz.

As part of the agreement, the U.S. lifted its blockade on Iranian ports and provided a pathway to sanctions relief, as well as potential access to economic incentives to rebuild after the war, in exchange for compliance.

The MoU has largely collapsed over the last two weeks, however, as Iran repeatedly violated the agreement by attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. responded with significant attacks on Iranian military assets near the strait, while President Trump indicated that the MoU was effectively “over” while speaking with NATO leaders in Turkey.

Subsequent attacks on Iranian targets have continued since, with the U.S. launching several waves of strikes in response to Iranian violations.

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Tagged: Middle East BACK TO HOMEPAGE