TEHRAN AUg 27, 2026 — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that Tehran remains committed to the June 2026 memorandum of understanding with the United States, even as he highlighted deep-seated distrust of Washington.
“Iran remains committed to the memorandum of understanding despite our distrust of America,” Pezeshkian stated, according to reports circulating on Thursday.
The remarks come more than two months after the 14-point interim agreement was signed in mid-June, with Pakistani mediation, by Pezeshkian and U.S. President Donald Trump. The document called for an immediate halt to military operations, de-escalation across regional fronts including Lebanon, measures on maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, oil exports, and a framework for talks on sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program.
A 60-day window for follow-on negotiations expired in mid-August without a comprehensive follow-up deal. Disagreements persist over implementation, particularly the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the pace of sanctions relief. Iranian officials have accused the United States of failing to fully honor its commitments, deepening historical mistrust stemming from past withdrawals from agreements and sanctions.
Pezeshkian has repeatedly defended the memorandum in recent weeks as the best available path out of a “neither war nor peace” stalemate. He has argued it contains no elements of capitulation and was reached after consultations among Iran’s security and political leadership. The president has linked implementation of the deal to Iran’s ability to attract investment and ease economic pressure.
Washington has not issued an immediate public response to Thursday’s comments. The two sides remain far apart on converting the interim understanding into a lasting settlement.
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