Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that Iran has suspended its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States. He cited U.S. military operations — which have been conducted in response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping — as the reason for the decision.
The Islamabad MoU, formally titled the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, was signed on June 17. It was mediated primarily by Pakistan, with facilitation from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt.
The agreement was designed to facilitate de-escalation of the conflict and provide an additional 60 days for discussions between the two sides, which could be mutually extended. Key sticking points included a complete end to Iran’s nuclear weapons program, as well as free and open transit of the vital Strait of Hormuz.
As part of the agreement, the U.S. lifted its blockade on Iranian ports and provided a pathway to sanctions relief, as well as potential access to economic incentives to rebuild after the war, in exchange for compliance.
The MoU has largely collapsed over the last two weeks, however, as Iran repeatedly violated the agreement by attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. responded with significant attacks on Iranian military assets near the strait, while President Trump indicated that the MoU was effectively “over” while speaking with NATO leaders in Turkey.
Subsequent attacks on Iranian targets have continued since, with the U.S. launching several waves of strikes in response to Iranian violations.
On Sunday, Iran stated that they were officially withdrawing from the agreement, as well as all future negotiations with the United States. “The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU,” Gharibabadi said.
He added that Tehran has “likewise suspended all our own commitments” and implementation of the agreement and is “busy defending the country.” In related remarks, Gharibabadi noted, “We also likewise have suspended all of our commitments as a result; we are no longer implementing those commitments.”
🔴 BREAKING: Iran has announced that it is suspending the memorandum of understanding with the United States as tensions escalate once again between the two countries.
🔴 Iran says it is suspending work on all commitments made in the MoU with the United States. pic.twitter.com/9tRLKqPGxD
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) July 18, 2026
The MoU framework had included provisions for future negotiations toward a final deal on issues such as sanctions relief, nuclear matters, and regional security. Iran’s suspension of commitments under the agreement effectively halts implementation of that framework.
As of Sunday, both sides had already effectively ceased implementing key elements of the Islamabad MoU, and the process for advancing to a final negotiated agreement under its terms has been interrupted.Further developments regarding any resumption of talks or alternative diplomatic channels have not been detailed in official statements to date.
