US, Iran and mediators discuss moving MoU signing to Wednesday, Axios reports

• Sources say the move could allow earlier implementation of Strait of Hormuz provisions and faster release of the agreement text.

The United States, Iran, and mediators are discussing shifting the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to a remote format as early as Wednesday, instead of an in-person ceremony scheduled for Friday, according to reporting by Axios citing a diplomat from one of the mediating countries and a second source familiar with the talks.

According to Axios, the proposed change would allow the agreement to be signed electronically, potentially triggering the implementation of provisions related to the Strait of Hormuz earlier than planned. The US could also release the text of the agreement sooner if the timeline is moved up.

A diplomatic source told Axios that discussions about accelerating the process aim to open the Strait of Hormuz before Friday, noting that both sides are aligned on that issue. Another factor reportedly influencing the talks is pressure surrounding the publication of the agreement’s text. The source familiar with the discussions said Iran requested that the text not be made public before formal signing, and denied that the White House was responding to political pressure.

Axios reported that the diplomatic source expects the text of the MoU could be published on Wednesday, although no final decision has been made as of Wednesday morning.

The White House declined to comment, according to Axios.

Despite possible changes to the signing schedule, meetings between US and Iranian delegations, led by Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, are still expected to proceed on Friday in Switzerland, where officials are set to discuss the launch of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

Axios also reported conflicting accounts regarding the status of the agreement: a senior administration official said the deal had already been signed electronically on Sunday by President Donald Trump, Vance, and Ghalibaf, while other sources disputed whether any such signing occurred. One source described a possible “second signing,” though the purpose of multiple signings remains unclear.

The White House has previously stated that implementation steps, including the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and lifting of the US blockade, would begin on Friday following the formal signing ceremony. That timeline could be moved earlier if the agreement is signed ahead of schedule, according to Axios’ diplomatic source.