Why did the signing of the peace agreement between Washington and Tehran finally take place remotely?

The signing was to be one of the major diplomatic meetings of the week. Everyone expected to see, on Friday June 20 in Switzerland, the official signing of the memorandum of understanding ending the war between the United States and Iran. Finally, the two presidents signed the text remotely, during the night from Wednesday to Thursday, with a time difference between the two capitals.

The protocol, which also includes the Lebanese front, was signed by Donald Trump from France. The American president announced it himself when leaving the Château de Versailles, where he had dinner with Emmanuel Macron. “I just signed it,” he declared to the press. A few hours later, a White House official broadcast a video on X showing Donald Trump signing the document alongside the French president, with a thumbs up and a smile on his lips. For the moment, it remains unclear about the possible organization of a ceremony in Switzerland. The Pakistani mediator suggested that it could take place, without any confirmation having been provided.

This early signing presents several advantages for both camps. First, it avoids the traditional official photo which would have immediately fueled the comments on the “winner” and the “loser” of this war. It also makes it possible to circumvent a delicate protocol problem: who should have represented Iran against the American president? Massoud Pezeshkian, president of the Republic with limited powers, or the supreme guide, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, true holder of political and religious power, but who is said to be injured and disfigured?

This choice also responds to internal political considerations. On the Iranian side, mistrust remains strong. An official meeting could have accentuated the divisions within the regime, while some of the most radical leaders remain opposed to this agreement. Remote signing makes it possible to preserve a certain unity of facade. On the American side, this more discreet staging also helps to attenuate the image of a compromise which could be perceived as a political defeat. Some observers also believe that Donald Trump could quickly open a new diplomatic or geopolitical front in order to divert attention from this episode.

In substance, the protocol unveiled by the two parties provides that the United States immediately suspend its sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil and lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports. All sanctions could be removed at the end of a 60-day negotiation period, if a final agreement is reached.

In return, Iran must allow, within 30 days, the complete restoration of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the blockage of which continues to weigh on the world economy. Tehran, however, would have reaffirmed its intention to make ships pay a right of passage once the final agreement was signed. The text also provides for discussions on nuclear power as well as the creation of a fund intended for the reconstruction and economic development of Iran.

Finally, as was already mentioned two days ago, the final agreement will have to be validated by a binding resolution of the UN Security Council. A provision which appears, for some observers, to be a small diplomatic humiliation inflicted on Donald Trump.