Trust but Verify on Steroids: Trump’s Big, Beautiful Iran MOU

The terms of the possible "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU) between the United States and Iran are starting to slowly make themselves known. Bear in mind that everything is tentative at this point, but we're getting a look at what some of the high points may well be.

On Sunday, NewsNation's Katie Pavlich gave us a look at some of those details, which came from a "senior administration official."

From a senior administration official re: Iran:

- This MOU framework gives us 60 days to reach final deal points that will deliver on President Trump's priorities and ensure the United States and the region are safer and more prosperous going forward.

- The president has…
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) May 24, 2026

Here are some high points.

- This MOU framework gives us 60 days to reach final deal points that will deliver on President Trump's priorities and ensure the United States and the region are safer and more prosperous going forward.
- The president has consistently said the Iranians cannot have a nuclear weapon. This MOU commits them to that.
- It commits the Iranians to giving up the nuclear dust and working out the mechanism for that will be part of us talking with the Iranians over the next 60 days.
- It gets the Strait of Hormuz de-mined and back open for business.

All those points are positives for the United States, if Iran lives up to their end - and that's a caveat we will be seeing a lot. It fulfills President Trump's hard line in the sand - no nukes for Iran - and opens up that vital seaway through which so much of the world's oil flows. That should have some positive effect on energy prices here in the USA, although not immediately; up like a rocket, down like a feather still applies.

Here's the key difference between this possible deal and previous arrangements: Incentives.

- The important part of how this is structured is, if Iran doesn't perform, they don't get anything. No dust? No dollars. As the Strait opens, the blockade loosens proportionately. This is "trust but verify" on steroids.
- Unlike past agreements where America paid Iran upfront and hoped they'd comply, this MOU is structured so Iran gets nothing until they deliver. That's the difference between a dealmaker and a hostage payer.

Now that's interesting indeed. Iran gets some financial benefits. Some of those will involve Iran being able to sell oil again, but more of them will be tied to Iran's keeping the bargain they are agreeing to - no sanctions lifted, for example, until their nuclear program is shut down. This reduces, but does not completely remove, Iran's propensity to go back on the deal.

Carrot, Meet Stick: New US-Iran Deal Lifts Sanctions, Troops Stay 30 Days

And, finally:

- The MOU ensures we and our allies -- and the Iranians and their proxies -- cease fighting across the region. It also guarantees Israel's right to act against imminent threats. They, as we all do, have a right to self defense.

As for that last part, I have a sneaking suspicion that Israel's response to that would be "we don't need your input for that."

Bear in mind that the details of this MOU are still being worked out. Bear in mind also that we've had moments of optimism for a deal before now, only to have Iran suddenly back away and start making all sorts of insane demands; this may well be another instance of Lucy yanking that football away from Charlie Brown. And any deal with Iran, as long as that nation is run by a cabal of 7th-century barbarians, should be implemented and carried out with the presumption that the Iranians are lying about everything.

This is, after all, the kind of diplomacy that was once described as the art of saying "Nice doggie, nice doggie" until you can find a rock.

Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.

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