Trump meets team to decide on Iran deal

President Trump said on Friday that he's convening his national security team in the White House Situation Room to make a final decision about the agreement reached between U.S. and Iranian negotiators. Why it matters: The signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) would be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the war started, but a final agreement tackling Trump 's nuclear demands would require further negotiations. The text of the MOU — which involves a 60-day ceasefire extension and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — was largely agreed as of Tuesday, but Trump told the mediators he needed more time to make a decision. What he's saying: In a Truth Social post on Friday morning, Trump laid out the main elements in the deal that he wants to emphasize and seemingly suggested he was about to accept it. He stressed Iran must agree that "they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb." He claimed the Hormuz Strait must be immediately open without tolls, for "unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions." He noted Iran will complete "the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left" in the strait. "Ships caught in the Strait due to our amazing and unprecedented Naval Blockade, which will now be lifted, may start the process of "heading home," Trump wrote. The flipside: The MOU states that Iran will agree to negotiate on its nuclear program, but does not include specific concessions. Trump claimed that Iran's enriched Uranium, "which is buried deep underground... will be unearthed by the U.S. in close coordination and conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran, plus the International Atomic Energy Agency, and DESTROYED." U.S. officials say they have verbal commitments from the Iranians on the nuclear material, but that what matters is what is agreed when the sides get in the room for the formal negotiations. Trump claimed "no money will be exchanged, until further notice," referring to Iran's ...

Original source: Axios