Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Pezeshkian Says Iran Made No MoU Concessions Amid Tensions
Iran and the United States are having a serious disagreement.
Iran’s president says his country signed an agreement to help avoid war.
He says Iran did not give up anything in the agreement.
He also says Iran wants to solve problems through talks and careful decisions.
Another Iranian official says the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the United States changes its actions.
He warned nearby countries not to join America’s economic campaign against Iran.
The United States says it is starting a very strong campaign against Iran’s oil, money and shipping networks.
Iran says it wants logic and dialogue but is also warning that it may respond forcefully.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran made no concessions in any clause of its memorandum of understanding.
Pezeshkian said Iran chose dialogue because war could not resolve its disputes with the United States and Israel.
He said Iran’s Security Council viewed the memorandum as the best available path and called for national unity.
Mohsen Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States changed its behavior and fulfilled commitments.
Donald Trump announced an “Economic D-Day” campaign targeting Iran’s oil, financial and shipping networks, while Rezaei threatened regional oil routes.
- Who
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei, United States President Donald Trump, Iran, the United States and neighboring countries.
- What
- Pezeshkian defended an MoU and said Iran had made no concessions, while Rezaei warned over the Strait of Hormuz and regional participation in US economic pressure.
- When
- Saturday, local time; the remarks followed Trump’s announcement of an “Economic D-Day” campaign.
- Where
- Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
- Why
- The statements came amid tensions over US economic pressure on Iran, disputes involving the Strait of Hormuz and disagreements involving Israel.
Iranian Position
United States Pressure Position
Memorandum of understanding
Iranian Position
Pezeshkian said the MoU was the best available path, had the support of Iran’s Security Council and contained no concessions by Tehran.
United States Pressure Position
The articles describe US pressure on Iran but do not provide a detailed US position on the memorandum itself.
Dialogue versus economic pressure
Iranian Position
Pezeshkian said Iran sought to resolve problems through dialogue, logic and strength rather than war, while refusing to give in to its opponents.
United States Pressure Position
Trump announced an economic campaign intended to isolate Iran and target its economic lifelines; he urged US allies to join it.
Strait of Hormuz and regional participation
Iranian Position
Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed and warned neighboring countries against joining the US campaign, threatening oil routes if they did.
United States Pressure Position
Trump called for allies to participate in isolating Tehran; the articles do not report responses from those countries.
- Iran’s MoU position
- Pezeshkian said Tehran had not compromised on any clause of the memorandum of understanding.
- Reason for signing
- Pezeshkian said Iran believed it could not achieve anything through war.
- Security Council view
- Pezeshkian said all members of Iran’s Security Council considered the MoU the best possible path.
- Strait of Hormuz
- Rezaei said the strait would remain closed until the United States fulfilled its commitments and changed its behavior.
- Regional warning
- Rezaei said Iran would consider neighboring countries enemies if they joined the US economic campaign.
- Oil-route threat
- Rezaei warned that Iran could target routes carrying oil from the Persian Gulf if regional countries supported Washington.
- US campaign
- Trump said the campaign would target oil-smuggling networks, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies.
