US President Donald Trump has claimed his deal with Iran is superior to the one reached by President Barack Obama in 2015. Critics argue Trump has given up more to Tehran while achieving less. Here's a comparison of the two agreements.
The Trump administration's memorandum of understanding is a one-and-a-half-page framework, not a final agreement, while Obama's Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was a detailed, 160-page document.
Trump's deal is bilateral, between the US and Iran, whereas Obama's pact involved China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain, and the European Union.
Both deals restrict Iran's nuclear activities, but Trump's interim agreement lacks specific commitments from Tehran. Obama's deal placed strict limits on Iran's nuclear efforts and extended the 'breakout' time needed to produce a bomb.
The JCPOA involved extensive international inspection, whereas the MOU does not call for reinstatement of that process.
Sanctions relief and unfrozen assets are part of both deals, but Trump's memorandum front-loads initial relief, including US waivers for Iran to export oil, while leaving a final package to be negotiated later.
The MOU also opens the door to releasing billions of dollars in frozen funds and sets up a $300 billion fund for Iran's economic development, but the conditions and timetable are unclear.
The JCPOA dealt only with nuclear issues, whereas the MOU addresses the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil-shipping channel that Iran effectively closed during the war launched by Trump and Israel.
