On July 17, the US and Iran signed a memorandum marking an end to hostilities. President Trump insists his deal is better than Obama's 2015 agreement. But CNN reports critics say Trump has made too many concessions to Tehran, violating his own negotiation principles.
Meanwhile, on June 30, Obama responded on US media. He noted that Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement, leading Iran to develop nuclear weapons. So the two figures are not backing down. Reuters then compared the two documents during their own terms respectively.
Trump's MOU is only about a page and a half with 14 key points. Major issues remain unresolved, including Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and the Strait of Hormuz.
Obama's JCPOA, by contrast, is a detailed, finalized deal with strict standards to limit Iran's nuclear activities—which Trump later called "the worst deal" and quit in 2018.
On incentives, Trump's MOU would loosen some sanctions immediately—including a US exemption on Iran's oil exports and releasing billions in frozen funds.
Trump had previously criticized Obama for returning $1.7 billion to Iran step by step. But now he is offering several times more.
The MOU also proposes a $300 billion regional fund to support Iran's economy, upsetting Republican skeptics who say Trump is conceding too much.
Back in 2015, Trump quoted his own book, warning that the biggest taboo in negotiations is making your opponent feel you're eager for a deal.
But as details of this new MOU emerge, multiple commentators argue Trump's team seems to be making that exact mistake.
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