Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Monday that sanctions relief for Iran agreed to in the country's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States makes it harder to secure a comprehensive nuclear deal with the Islamic regime, arguing the move surrenders American negotiating leverage.
Murphy spoke on MS NOW's "All In" with Chris Hayes, contrasting the current approach with how the Obama administration handled sanctions ahead of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the previous nuclear agreement that President Trump withdrew from in 2018.
What the Right Is Saying
President Trump defended the MOU in a post on Truth Social earlier this week, emphasizing that funds and sanctions relief are structured with American control as the priority. "These go into escrow, controlled by the U.S.A., and will be used for the purchase of food and medical supplies, exclusively from the United States, including Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans from our great American Farmers," Trump wrote.
The administration has characterized the deal as addressing a humanitarian crisis rather than rewarding bad actors. "These are things that are desperately needed by Iran. This is a humanitarian crisis, and I feel it is necessary to help NOW before it is too late," Trump stated in the post. The White House has also indicated that ongoing negotiations led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, Vice President Vance and senior adviser Jared Kushner "are going well."
What the Left Is Saying
Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Iran now has little incentive to negotiate once it has already received sanctions relief. "Iran has no reason to step forward and sign an agreement once they've already got the sanctions relief," Murphy said. He described the current situation as a consequence of U.S. policy failures, saying the lifted sanctions, unfrozen assets and reconstruction fund going to Iran result from having "lost the war, and so we have to pay an enormous amount of money to Iran to reopen" the Strait of Hormuz.
The Connecticut Democrat suggested negotiators should reconsider whether releasing all oil sanctions upfront brings them closer or further from a final deal. He acknowledged that U.S. law theoretically allows sanctions to be reimposed if both parties fail to reach a comprehensive agreement within 60 days, but expressed skepticism about that leverage actually materializing. "They know Iran will again close the strait, causing prices to soar," Murphy said. "The reality is those sanctions have been lifted permanently. We have lost all that leverage we would have used to get a nuclear deal."
What the Numbers Show
The Treasury Department issued a 60-day license on Monday allowing Iran to sell oil in U.S. dollars through August 21. The license permits dollar-denominated trade in crude oil, petrochemical and petroleum products, Iranian oil imports into the United States, and allows formerly sanctioned vessels and entities to conduct transactions.
The waiver enables Iranian banks to receive payments directly from foreign buyers, a change that analysts say could unlock billions of dollars in additional oil revenue for Tehran. The previous JCPOA, which Iran signed with the U.S., five other world powers and the European Union in 2015, lifted nuclear-related sanctions in exchange for verified limits on Iran's uranium enrichment program.
The Bottom Line
The divergence between Murphy's assessment and the administration's optimism highlights a fundamental disagreement about leverage and incentives in diplomatic negotiations. What happens next will depend on whether Iran uses the sanctions relief to return to the negotiating table or instead gains economic breathing room without making concessions. Analysts say the 60-day license window provides a timeline for both sides: either reach a framework agreement before it expires, or face renewed pressure over reimposing restrictions that may prove difficult to reinstate once lifted.