ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The understanding between the United States, Iran, and their allies establishes a cessation of military operations on all fronts, “including Lebanon,” according to the final draft of the accord shared with Rudaw by a senior US official, as a comprehensive, binding agreement is also set to be reached within 60 days.
The US, Iran, and “their allies in the current war” agreed to “declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or military operation against each other, to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon,” the document showed.
Tehran and Washington further consented to “respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs,” while also committing to “negotiating and achieving the final deal, maximum 60 days extendable with mutual consent.”
Moreover, the US has agreed to begin lifting its naval blockade on Iranian ports upon the signing of the memorandum of understanding, stating that restrictions against Iran “will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days.”
During this period, vessel traffic will gradually return to levels proportionate to pre-war activity as restored by Iran, while “the United States further undertakes to withdraw its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal.”
Upon the signing of the MoU, Tehran is also expected to “make arrangements” to ensure “the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charges for 60 days only, between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman,” the document shows.
The traffic of commercial vessels “will immediately start,” subject to the removal of “technical and military obstacles,” and the demining efforts by Iran which “will be initiated within 30 days.”
On the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran agreed to “conduct dialogue” with Oman and other Gulf countries to reach “a broader… long-term” arrangement, “in line with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of the coastal states” overlooking the Strait.
Moreover, the US “undertakes, with regional partners, to develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan of at least $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development” of Iran, the document shows.
The “mechanism for the implementation” of the plan “will be finalized as part of a final deal within 60 days, and all required licenses, waivers, and permissions needed for the relevant financial transactions will be granted by the United States,” it added.
Additionally, Washington agreed to “terminate all sanctions distinctions” against Iran, including United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, both primary and secondary, according to an agreed schedule as part of the final deal.
Tehran and Washington “acknowledge the critical importance of the sanctions termination issue mentioned above, and expressed their intention to immediately address these issues in negotiations in order to reach mutual agreement on them,” the understanding further states.
On Tehran’s nuclear program, “Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons,” the document notes, clearly stating that Tehran and Washington “have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material” pursuant to a mutually agreed mechanism within the same 60-day schedule, with “the minimum methodology” being “downblending on site under the supervision of the IAEA.”
The two sides also agreed to “discuss the issue of [uranium] enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear needs, based on a satisfactory framework agreed upon in the final deal [set to be reached],” with both sides acknowledging “the critical importance of the nuclear issues” and expressing “their intention to immediately address these issues in negotiations in order to reach mutual agreement on them.”
Moreover, Iran consented to maintain “the current status quo of its nuclear program,” while the US assented that it “will not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.”
“Upon the signing of the memorandum of understanding and until the termination of sanctions, the US Department of the Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurance, transportation” among other things, the document shows.
Importantly, the US “undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran” and, “upon the implementation of the memorandum of understanding,” Tehran and Washington “will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during the negotiations.”
The aforementioned funds, “whether retained in the original account or transferred, shall be made fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and the US “undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.”
Finally, the US and Iran further agreed that “an executive mechanism will be established to monitor the successful implementation of this memorandum of understanding and the future compliance with the final deal,” which “will be endorsed by a binding UNSC resolution,” the document concluded.
Last updated at 8:40 pm.
