“We Defeated the United States” – Iran

Jun 18, 2026 at 03:18 PM

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Lanka Leader

Iranian officials have hailed the newly signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States as a historic diplomatic victory, arguing that it demonstrates Washington’s failure to achieve its objectives through military or political pressure.

The 14-point agreement, brokered with the assistance of Pakistani mediators, was signed remotely on Wednesday night by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump, and reportedly entered into force immediately.

Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf described the memorandum as “a record of American failure.”

“This agreement is a record of US failure. People will see it and judge for themselves,” Ghalibaf said during a televised interview.

According to Tehran, the memorandum includes a number of significant concessions from Washington, including the lifting of the US naval blockade, sanctions waivers for Iranian oil exports, access to frozen Iranian assets, and support for an economic reconstruction program valued at more than $300 billion.

Iranian officials also claim that the United States has agreed not to impose new sanctions or deploy additional military forces to the region during a 60-day negotiation period aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement.

In return, Iran has pledged to facilitate the restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iranian leaders insist that the strategic waterway will not simply return to its pre-conflict status.

“The Strait of Hormuz will never return to its previous conditions. Iran has sovereignty rights over the strait, and naturally we will receive fees for the services we provide,” Ghalibaf stated.

The memorandum is not a final peace agreement, but rather a framework for further negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, frozen assets, the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, and a broader settlement that could ultimately receive endorsement from the United Nations Security Council.

Iranian officials maintain that the agreement protects the country’s national interests and reflects Tehran’s ability to negotiate from a position of strength. Meanwhile, Washington has yet to publish the full text of the memorandum and has offered only limited public comment on the accord.

For Tehran, however, the message is clear: the agreement stands as evidence that Iran emerged from the confrontation without surrendering its core interests, leading many Iranian leaders to portray the outcome as a victory over the United States.