The United States and Iran have reportedly reached an agreement that would unblock the Strait of Hormuz and extend the ceasefire by 60 days, but the deal currently awaits the approval of the American President, Axios reported today. During the 60-day ceasefire extension, the belligerents would initiate negotiations regarding the Iranian nuclear program, according to the American news portal, which cited two United States officials.
Axios reported that Iran will not impose any toll in the Strait of Hormuz, which is fundamental for the global oil trade, and the United States will lift the maritime blockade it imposed against ships departing and arriving at Iranian ports. The lifting of the blockade would take place proportionally to the resumption of commercial maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, according to the cited sources, Iran would have to remove all naval mines from the strait within 30 days.
The details of this potential agreement put forward by the portal are similar to those broadcast on Wednesday by Iranian state television, which were promptly denied by the White House and classified as pure invention. Iranian television, which cited some points of the preliminary peace agreement under discussion, also stated that in exchange for Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Washington would lift the maritime blockade and withdraw forces deployed for the conflict.
According to Axios, the memorandum of understanding would include Iran’s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, although it would leave negotiations to limit the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment for a later stage. This issue would then be addressed during the 60-day extension of the ceasefire in force since last April, and they would also discuss how to eliminate Iran’s highly enriched uranium and how to approach Iranian enrichment.
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Furthermore, the United States commits to debating the lifting of sanctions on Iran and the release of frozen Iranian funds. Among the exemptions to the sanctions, the possibility of allowing Iran to sell oil freely stands out, Axios added.
Washington will also grant some sanctions waivers to allow Iran to sell oil freely. According to the portal, the memorandum of understanding should also include a discussion on a mechanism to help Iran begin to receive both goods and humanitarian aid.
This agreement would further stipulate that the war between Israel and the Iran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah would come to an end, with Axios adding that this issue generated a tense discussion between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The United States and Iran have intensified negotiations over the past week, with Pakistan’s mediation, to end the war initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28.
Since last weekend, the White House has insisted that the agreement was just a few days away from completion, although Tehran has tempered expectations that the pact was imminent.
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According to Axios, the terms of the agreement were broadly agreed upon on Tuesday, but both parties required the approval of their respective leaders. Iran has reportedly already communicated that it gives the green light to the deal, but Trump did not want to approve it immediately, the media outlet reported.
The possibility of the nuclear issue being left for a later stage provoked rejection from several Republican senators allied with Trump, who criticized the concessions that the United States is willing to make.
