Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday, 17 August defended the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Iran and the United States, asserting that Tehran negotiated the agreement from a position of strength and in keeping with the principles set by former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The remarks came at a meeting attended by Education Minister Alireza Kazemi, where Pezeshkian pushed back against domestic critics of the deal.

Pezeshkian Defends the MoU

'We pursued the recent agreement with strength and did not surrender to our enemies,' President Pezeshkian said, according to a statement released by his office. He added that the MoU was the product of careful deliberation and in-depth consultations with experts — framing it not as a concession but as a diplomatic achievement consistent with Iran's stated national values.

The MoU, signed on 18 June, committed Iran and the United States to hold formal negotiations within a 60-day window ending on Monday with the goal of reaching a final agreement to end the conflict in the region. However, the fate of those talks remains uncertain following a fresh escalation between the two countries in recent weeks.

Parliament Speaker Echoes the Narrative

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, in separate remarks on Saturday, described the peace MoU as evidence of 'Iran's glory and victory' and said it reflected the consolidation of the country's gains on the diplomatic front, according to the official IRNA news agency. The alignment between the presidency and parliament signals a coordinated effort to manage domestic optics around the agreement.

US Senator Slams Trump Administration's War Planning

Meanwhile, US Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego — an Iraq War veteran who served in the Marine Corps — sharply criticised President Donald Trump's administration on Sunday over what he called a fundamental absence of planning in the Iran conflict. Speaking to ABC News, the Arizona senator said the administration had no clear entry plan, no exit strategy, and no defined mission.

'This administration did not plan for this war. They did not plan how to get out of this war, did not really understand how this war was going to escalate,' Senator Gallego said. His comments came in response to reports of exhaustion, falling morale, and mental health concerns aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

What Happens Next

With the 60-day negotiation window expiring on Monday, the critical question is whether Iran and the United States can bridge the gap toward a final agreement — or whether the recent escalation has effectively derailed the process. Both sides have publicly claimed the upper hand, a pattern that historically complicates back-channel diplomacy. The coming days will test whether the MoU holds as a framework or becomes a casualty of renewed hostility.