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The Iranian MOU could hold the peace — but it doesn’t solve all the longterm issues

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“Versailles is the real deal,” said President Trump when his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron invited him to dinner at the royal palace during this month’s G-7 conference. G-7 leaders praised the US’ latest agreement with Iran as a “breakthrough,” but if anyone thinks the Trump-touted “deal” Vice President Vance negotiated with Iran is “real,” they should have another thing coming — a massive attack.

Vance spent last week defending the deal, which isn’t even a deal but a “memorandum of understanding.” Typically, “MOUs” are “good faith” documents issued to express non-binding notions of future relationships. Upon the signing of this MOU’s official text ahead of schedule on Wednesday, US officials reportedly said it was a “political document” that failed to account for undisclosed backchannel discussions. Even Vance admitted its terms are “very general.”

That’s a generous assessment since many of them are worryingly vague. The Strait of Hormuz, for example, is to be opened, but only for 60 days, after which the Iranians can engage in “dialogue” with other Gulf states to “define the future administration and maritime services” international law nominally prohibits. Iran has suggested this could include resuming its illegal toll regime.

The US will fully unfreeze Iran’s foreign assets, but on terms to be........

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