The Trump administration signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran aimed at ending the war in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump signed the document in France, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed it electronically from Tehran. The Trump administration has repeatedly argued that the MoU is significantly better for Washington than the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a multilateral agreement signed between Iran and the P5+1 nations — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. The 2015 JCPOA was a 160-page nuclear agreement that sought to limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief and included strict conditions and an inspection mechanism.

The new MoU provides up-front sanctions relief and is light on inspection mechanisms, according to reports. Donald Trump has insisted that the deal he has reached with Iran is superior to the one that President Barack Obama sealed in 2015, according to almonitor. Trump has also insisted, incorrectly, that Tehran had never before made a written commitment never to seek a nuclear weapon, according to hindustantimes. Trump's critics argue he received less and conceded more than in the JCPOA. The MoU's implications for the Strait of Hormuz, economic terms, and nuclear program are under discussion.