The US and Iran have reached agreement on a memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and open negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, Axios reports, citing two senior US officials and a regional source familiar with the mediation efforts. According to the report, US President Donald Trump has not yet given his final approval for the document to be signed.
According to the US officials, most of the deal's terms were already agreed on Tuesday, but both sides still needed approval from their top leadership. The officials said the Iranians later conveyed that they had obtained the necessary approvals and were ready to sign. US negotiators briefed Trump on the details of the final agreement, but he was in no hurry to sign off on it. "The president told the mediators he wants a few days to think about it," a senior US official said.
The US officials said the memorandum of understanding would stipulate that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz would be "unrestricted," meaning Iran would not charge fees from vessels or harass them in connection with the demand it has made to be allowed to do so as part of the "sovereignty" it claims over the shipping lane, which is vital to the global economy. In addition, the official said, Iran would be required to clear all mines from the strait within 30 days.
The US naval blockade would also be lifted, but this would be done in proportion to the resumption of commercial shipping through the strait, a US official said.
The officials also said the memorandum would include an Iranian commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons, and would stipulate that the first issues to be discussed during the 60-day period would be the removal of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium from the country, as well as the issue of Iranian uranium enrichment.
In return, the US would commit to discussing sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds as part of the negotiations. The memorandum also includes discussion of a mechanism that would help Iran begin receiving goods and humanitarian aid.
