Expert: The US and Iran Are Far from Reaching a Real Agreement; the So-Called "Memorandum of Understanding" Is Merely a Starting Point for Negotiations

Odaily Odaily reports that despite Trump's claim that the US has ended its war with Iran and reached an understanding with Tehran, Dr. Hellyer, a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, warns that a real agreement is still a considerable distance away. Trump stated on Thursday that both sides had agreed to a "very strong memorandum of understanding" to halt the fighting, leaving room for subsequent negotiations. Iran, however, stated that it has not yet made a decision.

Dr. Hellyer pointed out that both parties are far from reaching a comprehensive agreement. "This is just a memorandum under discussion, not a real agreement," he said. "Neither the US nor Iran has indicated that they will reach a deal at this stage. The memorandum is merely a starting point for negotiations, leaving all the thorny issues to be resolved later." (Jinshi)