The United States and Iran signed the memorandum of understanding published earlier in the day last night (Thursday), and it now enters into force.
President Trump himself signed a copy of the agreement during a dinner with the French president at the Palace of Versailles. A signed copy was sent to Iran and the mediators.
Despite expectations that an official signing ceremony would take place in Switzerland, the official signing was carried out digitally.
The 60-day negotiation phase will begin only after some of Iran's frozen assets are unfrozen.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaie told the Iranian Tasnim News Agency: "Up until this moment, there were plans for the negotiating teams to participate in Geneva or Brussels, but the signing of the memorandum of understanding will be carried out digitally, and there will be no signing ceremony in Switzerland.".
He added: "The Islamic Republic has proven that it does not abandon its friends under any circumstances. For us, the ceasefire and the end of the war in Lebanon were and remain no less important than Iran itself. The first article of the memorandum of understanding mentions Lebanon three times, and it also includes respect for its territorial integrity and national sovereignty.".
Regarding the enriched uranium, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said: "We made it clear from the beginning that the enriched nuclear material will not be transferred outside of Iran. This is unacceptable to us.".
He said, "We do not intend to fulfill our obligations while the other side evades the implementation of its obligations. We will monitor without any compromise the implementation of the other side's obligations and will carry out our obligations only if the other side fulfills its obligations.".
He also said that the inspections carried out revealed that the Iranian vessels entered and left the ports without any problems, and that "this means that, according to him, the United States has actually begun to fulfill its commitment to lifting the blockade.".
President Trump was asked whether he saw the 60 days as a hard deadline - and replied: "No, I don't. It could take longer. I don't see it as anything hard. As long as they behave, I really don't care that much.".
