Iran discusses final decision on draft MoU with US

In an audio file detailing a 14-point draft agreement, an Iranian official named Mohammadi stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran currently provides services in the Strait of Hormuz, including safety, navigation, and security services, for which fees are collected. He emphasized that the right to collect these fees belongs exclusively to Iran and Oman, and no other party has the authority to make decisions regarding them. He said this arrangement is already in place and will remain unchanged under any future agreement.

According to Mohammadi, the first article of the draft text stipulates that the current war must cease on all fronts, including Iran and Lebanon. Following that, the opposing side must commit not to initiate any new wars or military operations. The United States would provide this commitment both on its own behalf and on behalf of Israel, he said, adding that once the agreement is signed, the other side will be obligated to end the war immediately. He described this as an extraordinarily important achievement and a sign of the opposing side’s failure in the war.

Mohammadi added that, for the first time in history, the Islamic Republic of Iran has compelled the United States to provide guarantees on behalf of Israel. He stressed that the longstanding joint strategy of the United States and Israel has been for Washington to sign agreements while Israel remains outside them, preserving freedom of action, but that this has not been allowed in the current text. He further emphasized that Iran’s commitments would be reciprocal: if the other side does not fulfill their obligations, neither will Iran. The Strait will remain closed, Iran will not proceed to the next phase of negotiations, and if necessary, it will enter a war.

Addressing the issue of the naval blockade, Mohammadi said that the lifting of maritime restrictions and the prevention of any interference with Iranian shipping must begin immediately upon signing the agreement. This process must, within 30 days, restore shipping activity to the level that existed before the blockade was imposed. He also referred to a proposed $300 billion development and reconstruction fund, noting that the text uses the term 'reconstruction,' which means rebuilding damages caused by war, and that although the word 'compensation' is not explicitly mentioned, it is clear that the other side is referring to compensation for damages inflicted on Iran during the war.

He further stated that, for the first time, the United States has committed in a final agreement to lifting primary sanctions as well, a commitment that has never existed before. However, no comprehensive sanctions relief would occur until the second phase of negotiations is reached. He also emphasized that the other side’s demands regarding Iran’s nuclear program are now limited solely to highly enriched nuclear material, with no discussion taking place regarding other aspects of Iran’s nuclear activities. There is a sentence in the text allowing discussions on other nuclear issues, but only if both parties agree. Mohammadi added that even if a final agreement is reached, Iran’s obligations would be limited to a commitment not to build a nuclear weapon and to resolving the issue of its 60-percent enriched uranium stockpile through a formula proposed by Tehran, involving dilution. He argued that under the memorandum of understanding, Iran would not undertake any immediate nuclear measures; everything has been deferred to the future.

Mohammadi also noted that the agreement requires US forces to withdraw from areas surrounding Iran within 30 days, describing this as one of the most significant elements of the draft, as Washington has never before offered such a commitment in a comparable agreement. He further stated that one proposal under discussion would require the release of half of Iran’s frozen assets at the beginning of the agreement’s implementation. According to Mehr News, these details were provided in an audio file by Mohammadi, who discussed the draft agreement currently under consideration in Iran.