Memorandum of Understanding with Washington Sparks Internal Disputes in Iran
The war has strengthened the dominance of hardline conservatives within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps more than ever before.
Debate over the ongoing negotiations with the United States is intensifying in Iran as media outlets circulate details of potential provisions contained in a memorandum of understanding between the two sides. Conservative Iranian parliamentarian Mahmoud Nabavian raised questions about some of the reported clauses, asking: “Does this text truly serve the national interest?” Meanwhile, analysts argue that the war has further consolidated the influence of hardliners within the Revolutionary Guard to an unprecedented degree.
In a post on X on Saturday, Nabavian discussed the provisions reportedly included in the prospective agreement between Tehran and Washington. According to him, the memorandum would provide for the immediate and unrestricted reopening of the Strait of Hormuz free of charge, as well as a reduction in uranium enrichment activities. However, uncertainty remains regarding the lifting of sanctions on Iran, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and Tehran’s potential access to a $300 billion financing fund. He questioned whether such a framework genuinely serves Iran’s national interests.
For his part, Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, stated in a social media post that the Iranian negotiating team had made “significant concessions.” He argued that “generosity at the negotiating table has altered the enemy’s calculations and created the impression that Iran is in a position of weakness.”
Earlier on Saturday, a group of Iranians gathered in Ibn Sina Square in central Tehran to protest against negotiations with the United States. Participants chanted slogans targeting Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as well as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Videos circulated on social media and Iranian news websites showed opponents of the agreement gathering in public squares and outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran. Demonstrators appeared to hold Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responsible, chanting: “Araghchi, shame on you, stay away from America!”
On Friday, Araghchi stated that a memorandum of understanding with the United States could be signed “through digital channels” within the coming days.
Amid setbacks and cautious optimism, Washington and Tehran have been engaged in negotiations since the ceasefire that began on April 8, under Pakistani mediation, aimed at ending the war launched against Iran by the United States and Israel on February 28.
On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said they expected a long-awaited framework agreement to end hostilities between the United States and Iran to be concluded on Sunday. However, Tehran expressed doubts regarding the timeline, while hardline protesters in Iran voiced opposition to the negotiations.
In a social media post on Saturday, Trump stated that the agreement with Iran was scheduled to be signed on Sunday, coinciding with his eightieth birthday. Sharif said that both sides had agreed on a framework for a peace accord and that Islamabad was preparing to sign it electronically later that day, to be followed by technical-level discussions in the coming days.
Iran, however, did not confirm that the agreement would be signed on Sunday. Prior to Trump’s announcement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei had cautioned against speculation regarding the signing date. According to official media reports, he stated: “It will not happen tomorrow,” while indicating that it could occur “in the coming days.”
Trump also wrote on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies that Iran had closed, “will immediately be reopened to everyone” following the signing of the agreement.
U.S. attacks have severely weakened Iran’s military-industrial base and inflicted significant damage on its armed forces. Nevertheless, experts argue that the war has further strengthened the influence of hardline factions within the Revolutionary Guard.
When the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, Trump called on Iranians to rise up and seize control of state institutions. Even as signs have emerged over the past two days suggesting that Washington and Tehran are moving toward an agreement, clashes have continued. The U.S. military maintains a blockade against Iran and seeks to weaken its control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20 percent of global oil shipments passed before the conflict.
Early Saturday morning, the U.S. military announced that it had intercepted several Iranian attack drones heading toward the strait. Israel, which insists that it is not a party to the U.S.-Iran agreement, stated that it had struck more than 70 sites in Lebanon within 24 hours while carrying out operations against Hezbollah, an Iranian ally.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly clashed with Trump over Washington’s demands that Israel limit its military operations in Lebanon in order to facilitate an agreement with Tehran. Araghchi stated on Friday that modifications to the text remained possible, while asserting that the preliminary agreement demonstrated that Iran had emerged from the conflict in a stronger position.
Subsequent negotiations will focus on Iran’s nuclear program, the issue that originally prompted Trump to launch the war. A senior U.S. official told reporters: “Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and that is a fundamental condition. The strait may be reopened without transit fees. Once they do so, we will lift our blockade.”
The official added: “These steps will occur simultaneously, and clearing mines from the strait will be part of the next phase,” noting that several G7 countries may participate in the effort.
On Saturday, the British Prime Minister’s Office at Downing Street announced that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had discussed efforts to end the conflict with Iran during a telephone conversation with Trump.
According to draft terms revealed by multiple sources, the United States would begin releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and lift sanctions on Iranian oil exports in exchange for Tehran reopening the strait.
Iran’s Fars News Agency quoted Baghaei as saying that the release of frozen Iranian assets is an integral part of the agreement and that Iran would need to impose fees for services provided in the Strait of Hormuz. He also stated that foreign military bases in the region should eventually be removed, without providing further details.
The issue of Iran’s nuclear program will be addressed during a sixty-day negotiation period. A U.S. official stated that the agreement would ultimately lead to the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, including the destruction and removal of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
