President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will send an interim U.S.–Iran peace memorandum of understanding to the U.S. Congress for review [1].
The move comes as the administration seeks to normalize relations and end the ongoing war with Iran. A legislative review is a critical step in formalizing an agreement that aims to stabilize a volatile region and prevent further military escalation.
Speaking during the G7 summit in France, Trump said that the review is necessary to move the peace process forward. "I am willing to send my interim deal to Congress for review," Trump said [2]. He added that he hopes the conflict will soon be in the rearview mirror [3].
Despite the push for peace, the president maintained a strict stance on nuclear proliferation. "Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon," Trump said [4].
The proposal follows a period of intense military conflict. According to reports, 13 American servicemembers have been killed in the Iran war [5]. Iranian casualties are estimated to be in the thousands [6].
Legislative efforts to curb the conflict have previously struggled in the Senate. A recent Iran War Powers resolution failed to pass after a 47-48 vote [7].
While some reports describe the agreement as an interim deal to end the war [2], others have characterized it as a secret peace agreement whose full text has not yet been released to the public [4]. The president's commitment to share the document with Congress may address concerns from lawmakers who have remained in the dark regarding the specific terms of the memorandum [1].
“"I am willing to send my interim deal to Congress for review."”
The decision to involve Congress signals a shift toward formalizing a diplomatic exit from the conflict. By submitting the memorandum for review, the administration is attempting to build legislative consensus for a deal that has been criticized for its lack of transparency. The failure of the recent War Powers resolution suggests a deeply divided Senate, meaning the success of this peace effort depends on whether the interim terms can satisfy both hawks and doves in the U.S. government.
