U.S. President Says Iran Deal 'Largely Negotiated', Dispute Over Strait Reopening

Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump.

A "largely negotiated" memorandum of understanding on an Iran peace deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday, although the Iranian Fars news agency disputed that claim.

President Trump posted on social media that the emerging agreement would reopen the strait, the vital shipping passage ‌whose closure has upended global energy markets since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran in February. He did not say what else would be included in an agreement.

"Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly," President Trump wrote on Truth Social.

But Fars reported early on Sunday that the agreement would allow Iran to manage the strait and that President Trump's assertion on the strait was "inconsistent with reality."

Axios reported late on Saturday that the United States and Iran were nearing a potential agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz without transit tolls during a proposed 60-day extension of the ceasefire, while allowing Iran to resume unrestricted oil exports and continue negotiations over its nuclear programme.

According to the report, the United States would, in return, lift its blockade on Iranian ports and grant limited sanctions waivers on Iranian oil exports, citing a U.S. official familiar with the discussions.

The draft agreement reportedly includes Iranian commitments not to pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate over suspending uranium enrichment activities, as well as the removal of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

The New York Times separately reported that the proposed deal contains what it described as an “apparent commitment” by Iran to relinquish its highly enriched uranium stockpile, although details regarding how this would be implemented would be left for future negotiations, citing two unnamed U.S. officials.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that U.S. military action against Iran was intended to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran has denied pursuing nuclear arms and maintains that it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful civilian purposes.

Meanwhile, Iran said on Saturday that it was working towards a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict, following meetings between senior Iranian officials and Asim Munir, whose country has sought to mediate between Tehran and Washington.

Source: Reuters



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