The Islamabad Memorandum, officially the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, was a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the 2026 Iran war.Emilio Perez Ibarguen, Iran deal already signed, Vance says, promises full text this week , Politico (June 15, 2026). It was primarily brokered by Pakistan, with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt also facilitating negotiations.
Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the U.S. and Iran had reached agreement on final text to end the war on 12 June 2026. On 15 June, U.S. vice president JD Vance announced that the memorandum was digitally signed by representatives of the U.S. and Iran on the previous day. On 17 June, Trump and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian signed remotely the memorandum of understanding to end the war, with Trump signing it during dinner with French president Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles following the G7 summit, after which Pezeshkian signed it in Tehran. Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement, saying that he endorsed the memorandum of understanding despite misgivings.
The memorandum was a 14-point "framework agreement"Iran War Live Updates: U.S. and Iran Sign Preliminary Deal, but Its Terms Remain Secret, New York Times (June 15, 2026). and provided for an end to military strikes, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping toll-free for 60 days, an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, and a 60-day extension of the ceasefire. Iran indicated that it intended to charge fees for unspecified services to ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, though analysts questioned whether this would be legal. Subject to a final deal, the Islamabad Memorandum would also include an at least $300 billion private fund designed to trigger investment in Iran in addition to the release of frozen Iranian assets.
The Islamabad Memorandum also immediately waived, but did not eliminate, sanctions that Trump imposed on Iran's oil exports, allowing Iran once again to sell its crude on the world market and restoring a revenue stream worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The United States waived sanctions on Iran for 60 days on 21 June. Major issues, however, were not settled in the framework agreement, which contains no accord on Iran's nuclear program or uranium stockpiles, although it does call for the downgrading of Iranian uranium from weapons-grade to reactor-grade following a final agreement.Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Erica L. Green, Max Bearak & Lara Jakes, U.S. and Iran Sign a Framework Deal, Leaving Major Issues for Future Talks, New York Times (June 15, 2026). These issues are deferred to future talks to take place over the 60-day ceasefire extension. The framework agreement also does not mention the Iranian ballistic missile program or its network of non-state allies in the Middle East.David M. Halbfinger and Ronen Bergman, Israel Counts the Ways That Netanyahu's Iran Strategy Failed, New York Times (June 15, 2025).
On 8 July, after Iran struck multiple commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US responded by striking Iranian territory, Trump indicated the MoU was "over" after Iran launched attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to assert Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, startling US officials and shattering a brief diplomatic calm. He added that U.S. negotiators can continue negotiations, but he voiced pessimism regarding the potential results. On 18 July, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced the suspension of commitments related to the MoU, citing an alleged breach of obligations by the US as the reason for this action. On 17 August, the 60-day deadline for the US and Iran to negotiate a “final deal” to end the war passed.
Background
The Islamabad Talks, were held in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 11 and 12 April 2026. Aimed at stabilizing the 2026 Iran war ceasefire and negotiating a potential resolution to the war, the talks were moderated by Pakistan, which played a central role in brokering the ceasefire and facilitating the talks.
The 300-member U.S. negotiating team was led by Vice President JD Vance, alongside special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner; while the 70-member Iranian team was led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, alongside foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. The Pakistani mediating team was led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. The talks lasted 21 hours between 11 and 12 April 2026, and consisted of three rounds with the first one being indirect and the second and third ones being direct. The day of the meeting, Trump told reporters that he did not care about whether an agreement would come out of the talks.
The teams were reportedly able to agree on the main points of the 10-points ceasefire, with the exception of the issues regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian nuclear program. The talks ended with no agreement reached, and no memorandum of understanding (MoU) being issued. Following the failure of the talks, U.S. president Donald Trump imposed a naval blockade on Iran on 13 April, interdicting any ships entering or departing Iranian ports.
The United States and Iran reached a final agreed-upon text for a peace deal to end the war on 12 June 2026. On 17 June, Donald Trump and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian signed remotely the memorandum of understanding to end the war, which established a 60-day extension of the ceasefire to negotiate the final terms of a deal.
Discussions On 11 June, key gaps regarding the release of frozen Iranian assets, the reopening of the Hormuz, and protocols for managing Iran's nuclear program during a 60-day ceasefire were narrowed in talks between Iranian officials and Qatari mediators in Tehran, coordinated with the United States. Two days later, Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator announced that a memorandum of understanding will be digitally signed the following day.
On 14 June, Iran said that the draft US deal included Tehran agreeing not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons, and the US agreeing to allow Tehran to dilute its highly enriched uranium stockpile in Iran. A commitment not to obtain nuclear arms, however, is not a new concession by Iran, which already made that pledge in ratifying the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty more than a half-century earlier, and restated that pledge in the 2015 JCPOA.Trump promised no Iranian nukes. His deal may never do that., Politico (June 15, 2026)
The same day, US president Donald Trump and Iran announced that they had reached the agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also said that he had authorized the lifting of the US naval blockade. However he clarified that if he does not like the agreement with Iran, the United States will "go right back to dropping bombs".
The US military later said that the blockade remained in effect until the agreement was signed on 19 June.
On the eve of the full signing, USA and Iran published the 14-points of the document.
On 18 June, Pakistan stated that the signing of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding to end the war implies Tehran will reopen the Hormuz "instantly" and the American blockade of Iranian ports will end "immediately."
Implementation
Implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum officially began after remote digital signatures by the United States and Iranian presidents. The agreement was expected to establish an immediate and permanent termination of military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon. Both parties committed to an immediate cessation of war. Iran was expected to instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States was supposed to begin dismantling its naval blockade.
According to Iranian media, 11 Iranian ships broke through U.S. naval blockade after the Islamabad Memorandum was signed, while sources told the The Jerusalem Post that commercial ships in Hormuz were attracted by multiple Iranian drones after the MoU was agreed upon. The UAE already sent $3 billion of at least $10 billion to be sent to Iran from the UAE after the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum. On 18 June, CENTCOM announced that it had removed the naval blockade of Iranian ports. On 22 June, the US gave Iran-related 60-days general licence for oil sales, as required by the MoU. Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said that the IDF would not withdraw from its southern Lebanon security zone even if Trump asked for it.
Text, gaps, and disputes over scope The memorandum was a "framework agreement" and the terms remained secret at the time of its signing, although U.S. vice president JD Vance said the U.S. would release the full text later.
The agreement provided an end to military strikes, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, and an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, and a 60-day extension of the ceasefire. Iranian first vice president Mohammad Reza Aref said Tehran would retain control over the Strait of Hormuz, noting that vessels using the strategic waterway should contribute to the cost of services provided by the Islamic Republic to ensure safe navigation. The Islamabad Memorandum also included a $300 billion fund for Iran in addition to the release of frozen Iranian assets, as well as sanctions relief. Major issues, however, were not agreed upon in the framework agreement, which contains no accord on Iran's nuclear program, uranium stockpiles, or sanctions relief. These issues were deferred to future talks to take place over the 60-day ceasefire extension. The framework agreement reportedly contains nothing about Iranian ballistic missile program or its network of non-state allies in the Middle East.
Prior to the framework agreement being signed, the U.S. and Iran described its terms differently. Iranian officials asserted that the U.S. pledges immediate sanctions relief and release of frozen Iranian assets during the 60-day negotiation period following the agreement, but the U.S. denied this. U.S. president Donald Trump claimed that the agreement means the strait will be "permanently toll-free" but Iran said it still intended to charge "fees" (but not "tolls") to ships traversing the Persian Gulf. Primary mediator Pakistan and Iranian officials said that the framework agreement halts "military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, effective immediately." However, Israel, which was not a party to the agreement and was not directly involved in its negotiation, disputed this and said it "reserved the right" to strike Lebanon in retaliation for attacks by Hezbollah.
Contents Islamabad Memorandum The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war by signing this MoU, declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. Final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal in maximum 60 days, extendable with mutual consent.