Trump tells Iran via Pakistan and Qatar he will not revive the 2026 MoU

Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir traveled to Tehran on 24 August to pass President Donald Trump’s instruction that the United States would not return to the Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding signed on 17 June. The MoU had paused the regional war, allowed Iran to receive oil revenues in dollars, and recognized its control of the Strait of Hormuz. The same day US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a “D-Day” economic pressure campaign, warning of secondary sanctions on countries trading with Tehran.

Munir met President Masoud Pezeshkian and General Mohsen Rezaei, who confirmed Iran would accept only the existing MoU. Three days later, senior Qatari officials, including a minister without portfolio Ali Al Thawadi, delivered the identical message. Iran reiterated it would not abandon the MoU nor negotiate a new text, while the US continues to pressure allies and has reopened a shipping corridor through the Strait, heightening the risk of further clashes.