Trump’s Iran deal triggers speculation, skepticism, market bump: 5 takeaways

The agreement between the U.S. and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and kick-start 60 days of nuclear negotiations is set to be signed in person Friday, but it’s still unclear what’s in it.

Senior U.S. officials told reporters Monday that the memorandum of understanding (MOU), signed digitally over the weekend, is only the first step and that “real technical discussions” will begin later this week and be led by Vice President Vance.

The officials said details of the agreement will be released publicly within the next couple of days, while President Trump said it would come out “sometime after Friday,” stoking debate and speculation over commitments and concessions on both sides. 

Trump and Vance have already digitally signed the MOU that was also signed by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the country’s lead negotiator.

The U.S. has repeatedly said that Iran has made guarantees that it would not have a nuclear weapon, but it appears that details regarding the handover of its current stockpile of enriched uranium will be punted to future talks. 

A senior U.S. official described the deal as having “two pathways”: Either Iran doesn’t cooperate and stays financially weak and without the ability to rebuild its nuclear program, or the country complies with the deal and benefits economically while also making assurances that no nuclear weapons will be built.

“It’s a win either way for the United States,” the official said.

Here are five key takeaways on what we know so far:

Iran hawks clamor for details 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) shared his concern Sunday that Iran and the U.S. do not seem to be on the same page on what the agreement entails.

“I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming,” he wrote on social media.

Victoria Coates, vice president of national security at the Heritage Foundation and a member of Trump’s National Security Council during his first administration, said she hopes the administration sticks to keeping sanctions relief contingent on Iran following through with no nuclear weapons.

“That has to come first and the burden has to be on them, otherwise, I worry we’re going to get into another one of these situations, as the president said, where they’re tap-tap-tapping us along,” Coates told The Hill.

A number of Senate Republicans said Monday they were withholding comment on the deal until they knew more about its terms. 

“I hope we get more details about it before Friday,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters. 

“My understanding of what it entails — again, not having........

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