US, Iran mull Remote Signing of Deal as early as Wednesday to reopen Hormuz
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
WASHINGTON – US, Iran and mediators are discussing whether to bring forward signing of a memorandum of understanding (Mo U) from Friday to as early as Wednesday to reopen Hormuz at the earliest. A report by Axios said this could allow key provisions related to Hormuz to familiar with discussions. The agreement would be signed electronically if timetable is accelerated. US could also release the full text of the deal, offering the clearest picture yet of what both sides have agreed to after weeks of negotiations. Talks about moving up the signing date are largely driven by a shared desire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz ahead of schedule. Both Washington and Tehran are understood to have reached broad agreement on that issue, though no final decision had been made as of Wednesday morning. The discussions come amid conflicting accounts about the status of the agreement. A senior US administration official reportedly told reporters that US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf had already signed the agreement electronically on Sunday. However, a diplomat from one of the mediating countries disputed that claim, saying no such signing had taken place. Despite uncertainty over the timing of the MoU, a planned meeting between Vance and Ghalibaf is still expected to go ahead in Switzerland on Friday. The talks are expected to focus on the next phase of engagement between the two countries, including discussions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Trump indicated that negotiations remain ongoing and stressed that no final agreement has yet been reached. “If I don’t like the agreement, we will go back to dropping bombs,” Trump said, signaling that military pressure remains an option if diplomacy fails. POTUS said Washington would have to “start the process again” if Iran ultimately rejects a final arrangement aimed at resolving outstanding nuclear concerns. “I would thi