US-Iran MoU expires after 60 days: Where do things stand?

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran seeking to end the conflicts expired on Monday, with neither side showing much willingness to renew it after weeks of mutual accusations over violations of the agreement.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Iran reached the MoU with the United States with "dignity" and "power." "We pursued the recent agreement with strength and did not surrender to our enemies," Pezeshkian said at a meeting attended by Education Minister Alireza Kazemi, adding that the MoU was drafted after careful deliberation and in-depth discussions with experts, according to a statement released by his office.

One day earlier, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf described the peace MoU as proof of "Iran's glory and victory" and being in line with the consolidation of the country's victory in the field of diplomacy, according to the official news agency IRNA.

Despite the public statements from senior Iranian officials who were closely involved in advancing the signing of the MoU, there has so far been no clear indication that either side is preparing to renew the agreement.

"We have not yet made a decision to restart negotiations with the United States," said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a post on Telegram.

Meanwhile, a senior White House official, speaking anonymously to Politico, described the negotiations between Washington and Tehran as "static." With the 60-day window now closed and the future of the agreement hanging in the balance, attention is turning back to the document that was at the heart of the ceasefire effort and to what has happened in the two months since it was reached.

What was the US-Iran MoU? The US-Iran MoU, signed and released on June 17, was an interim framework aimed at halting the more-than-three-month military confrontation and paving the way for a permanent agreement between Washington and Tehran.

The agreement calls for an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, while both sides pledged to respect each other's sovereignty and refrain from the use or threat of force.

Under the arrangement, the two sides were committed to negotiating a final deal within a maximum of 60 days, with the possibility of extending the period by mutual consent.

The talks were expected to address Iran's nuclear program and other contentious issues between the two countries.

The agreement also seeks to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US agreed to begin lifting its naval blockade, while Iran pledged to facilitate the safe passage of commercial vessels through the waterway for 60 days.