CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed President Donald Trump that US intelligence has serious doubts about Iran's willingness to follow through on the nuclear concessions Washington is seeking in any final agreement, Axios reported, citing three sources familiar with those discussions.
The development came as the United States and Iran prepare for a formal signing ceremony in Switzerland on Friday,
According to the report, Ratcliffe was not alone in his scepticism.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also raised concerns in internal discussions, while Vice President JD Vance and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner advocated for the deal.
The intelligence, gathered by multiple US agencies, indicated that the way Iranian officials were discussing the deal among themselves was inconsistent with what they were telling mediators and American negotiators, two sources told Axios.
"The intelligence reflects that the Iranian intentions are not in line with their commitments under the deal," one source told the outlet.
A White House official pushed back, telling Axios that the MoU "meets all of the redlines that the administration has long articulated by ensuring that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, they cannot keep their highly enriched uranium, and they cannot hold the world's energy supply hostage."
As per reports, under the 14-point MoU, Iran reiterates its commitment to never acquire a nuclear weapon, while both sides agree to "resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material" and discuss the future of Iran's enrichment programme.
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Iran will maintain the status quo of its nuclear programme during the 60-day negotiation window; in turn, the US will impose no new sanctions and deploy no additional forces to the region.
On the Strait of Hormuz, the MoU reportedly requires Iran to ensure safe passage of commercial vessels for 60 days at no charge, while the US gradually lifts its naval blockade within 30 days. The question of Iran's frozen assets remains ambiguous, with US officials describing a "pay for performance" model tied to positive gestures from Tehran, Axios reported.
The outlet also reported that the MoU references a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, contingent on a final deal and significant internal reforms.
Senator Lindsey Graham told Axios he was "somewhat concerned that Iran's view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming," and called for the document's immediate public release.
ALSO READ: Trump Confirms Deal With Iran Already Signed, Hormuz Partially Opened; To Release MoU Text Soon
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