Secret proposals for implementing the 14-point agreement signed this week are being prepared by the United States and Iran, including technical and political details on the future of the Iranian nuclear programme, according to American and regional officials participating in or informed of the talks and which CNN invokes. However, as noted, none of these additional agreements have been finalised, while critically open issues remain, culminating in the Tehran nuclear programme.
The same U.S. vice president, J.D. Vance confirmed that some of the so-called "gentleman's agreements" (sirens' agreements) discussed in the context of the negotiations and exceeding the memorandum of understanding are recorded in documents, but without having taken a definitive form.
However, the same sources point out that the procedures are still at an early stage. Iran has not signed any of these additional technical proposals, unlike the memorandum of understanding of 14 points, which increases doubts as to whether the American side has accurately presented the commitments reached.
"Some are written, others are not, but the point is that we don't trust words, we trust actions and behavior," said J.D. Vance, adding that the agreement is designed so that any benefits are solely linked to keeping commitments.
According to a source that informed members of Congress, American negotiators chose to proceed with the disclosure of the signed memorandum of understanding without waiting for the Iranian leadership's final approval of the more detailed implementation proposals, in order not to delay the next phase of the talks. The same source stated that ensuring Tehran's official approval of the additional texts would require more time, so Washington went only into the memorandum, leaving the details to be settled in subsequent negotiations.
There are also unpublished documentsAlthough American officials claim that they have no knowledge of ‘side agreements’, they recognise the existence of some unpublished documents. Among these, according to a source that spoke to CNN, a letter from the Iranian government to the International Atomic Energy Agency, requesting the initiation of inspections and investigation of the location of enriched material, as well as the participation of American nuclear experts, is included.
The U.S. mission to the United Nations did not comment on the contents of the letter.
Technical proposals, according to a regional official, are "work papers" aimed at shaping the next phase of the talks, with a special reference to the future of Iran's nuclear programme. Official technical negotiations are expected to begin on a 60-day horizon.
A White House spokesman said that "there are no definitive agreements beyond the memorandum of understanding" and that the American side seeks to proceed with further agreements in the next negotiations, when (and where) they begin.
The existence of secret proposals, as noted, highlights the fragile context of the talks and the difficulty of forming a final agreement that will be accepted by both sides, but also by their political bases.
Criticism for a process reminiscent of 2015U.S. President Donald Trump's critics argue that the process is reminiscent of the 2015 negotiations against the Barack Obama presidency, accusing Washington of having "secret parameters" that have not been made public, despite the opposing commitments.
American official, however, argued that the basic doctrine of the agreement is "full transparency" and the absence of parallel agreements.
Trump has repeatedly rejected comparisons with the 2015 agreement, which he had denounced as insufficient, arguing that the new approach ensures Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons.
However, as noted, no final nuclear agreement has yet been reached, while the individual "unofficial" arrangements remain pending and have not been signed by the Iranian side.
All about the story?At the same time, analysts estimate that keeping the agreement in a vague and partially confidential context may be aimed at allowing both sides to maintain political control over the narrative, avoiding internal reactions.
However, it is noted that the lack of disclosure of critical details could undermine the viability of a final agreement, as key issues such as uranium enrichment and verification mechanisms remain open.
As an expert on arms control has said, "in order for a final agreement to be reached, some side should give way significantly," stressing the difficulty of achieving a fully balanced compromise.