On Wednesday, Iran’s lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States as a "declaration of America’s defeat," speaking at a parliamentary conference in Baku. The statement came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a tour of Gulf capitals to shore up allies unsettled by the deal that halted a 40-day US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

From Tehran, Ghalibaf attributed the agreement to the "resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation," not external pressure, and insisted that regional security must be ensured by Middle Eastern states themselves, calling the withdrawal of foreign military forces a "strategic goal." He also stressed that the ceasefire in Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah fought Israel, was "as important" as ending the war in Iran. In Washington’s view, conveyed by Secretary Rubio, the memorandum is an interim step; President Trump has warned that bombing could resume if Tehran’s behaviour does not meet expectations. Rubio, in Abu Dhabi, reiterated that no country may impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway, after Iran and Oman floated the idea of service fees.

The 14-point memorandum, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, ended a conflict that began with massive US-Israeli strikes on 28 February and saw Iran retaliate by blockading the Strait of Hormuz and launching thousands of drones and missiles at Gulf neighbours that host American bases. The deal does not address Iran’s missile programme or its network of proxies — two long-standing concerns for Gulf monarchies and Israel. Gulf diplomatic sources indicate that allies view the concessions as overly generous, including a proposed $300 billion fund, and fear Tehran will emerge strengthened. The agreement launched a 60-day negotiation period for a permanent settlement, with technical talks set to resume next week, likely Tuesday, according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

Discrepancies persist over nuclear inspections: the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed inspections will take place, while Iran has denied making such a concession. The fate of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, estimated at over 450 kg, is to be determined through a mutually agreed mechanism, with dilution under IAEA supervision as the reference method. Iran maintains it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons. Domestically, Iranian leaders are portraying the deal as a victory to manage factional divisions, while in Lebanon, residents of war-damaged areas like Tyre are beginning to clear rubble under a fragile ceasefire that Tehran insisted be a precondition for the broader agreement.

The US-Iran technical negotiations are expected to resume in the coming week, with Pakistan continuing its mediation role. Rubio’s Gulf tour, including stops in Kuwait and Bahrain for a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting, will address the memorandum’s gaps and seek to reassure partners that Washington remains committed to their security. The dossier remains open, with a definitive agreement still distant and both sides publicly advancing divergent interpretations of the interim accord.