Iran-US MoU disagreements resolved minutes before announcement

An informed source told Tasnim that disagreements between Iran and the United States over various provisions of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) continued until the final minutes before its announcement. The source outlined several changes introduced during the last one to two days and in the hours immediately preceding the announcement.

First, the phrase "guaranteeing the sovereignty and respect for the territorial integrity of Lebanon" was added to Article One of the MoU. US President Donald Trump had not accepted this phrase in earlier drafts. Second, the phrase "administration of maritime navigation services in the Strait of Hormuz" by Iran and Oman was added to Article 5 of the MoU. Third, vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz were exempted from paying fees for a period of 60 days. Iran intends to begin charging ships for services after that period.

The source also emphasized that Trump insisted that immediately after the announcement of the understanding, the Strait of Hormuz should open and the blockade should end simultaneously. However, Iran did not accept this proposal, and it was agreed that the process of reopening the Strait of Hormuz would begin after the signing of the MoU on Friday. The source added that Trump initially announced in a social media post that the Strait of Hormuz and the blockade had been opened simultaneously, but following Iran's objection conveyed through the Pakistani mediator, Trump revised his post and wrote that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened after Friday.

According to Mehr News Agency, the MoU aims to address key issues between Iran and the US, including the status of the Strait of Hormuz and regional security. The report by Mehr added that the Pakistani mediator played a crucial role in facilitating communication between the two sides.