(Recasts with latest on potential framework deal)
LONDON/DUBAI, May 25 – Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that conclusions have been reached on many topics discussed in a potential 14-point memorandum of understanding, but this does not mean a deal to end the Middle East war is imminent.
The framework is focused on an end to the war and a U.S. naval blockade in exchange for Tehran taking steps to ensure safe transit in the Strait of Hormuz, said the spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei.
AT WHAT STAGE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS?
The two sides have remained at odds on difficult issues including Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel’s war in Lebanon with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and Tehran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen assets.
Both sides say they have made progress on a memorandum of understanding that would halt the war and give negotiators 60 days to reach a final deal.
Senior Iranian diplomat Hossein Nooshabadi told ISNA news agency on Monday that the possible framework deal included the end of the war on all fronts including Lebanon, the release of blocked Iranian assets, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the vicinity of Iran and freedom to sell Iranian oil.
Nooshabadi said Iran’s draft for an initial agreement contained no commitments on Iran’s nuclear programme.
A senior official in U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Iran had agreed “in principle” to open the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for the U.S. lifting its naval blockade, and to dispose of Tehran’s highly enriched uranium.
The potential initial deal had no specific details about the management of Hormuz, said Baghaei. Management of the strait was an Iranian-Omani issue under discussion with Oman, Nooshabadi said.
HOW COULD A DEAL MOVE FORWARD?
If Iran’s Supreme National Security Council approves the memorandum of understanding, it will then be sent to the country’s supreme leader for final approval.
The U.S. understood Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had endorsed the broad template of the deal, the senior U.S. official said.
If the first phase of the agreement progressed, the nuclear issue could be reviewed and negotiated during the 60-day period, Baghaei and Nooshabadi said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of entering into a “very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter” during the 60 days.
The last deal over the nuclear programme – struck in 2015 and torn up by U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018 – took years of negotiations between large teams of technical experts.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES?
HORMUZ AND GULF BLOCKADE – Tehran sees its control of Hormuz and Washington views its blockade of Iranian ports as their chief points of leverage.
NUCLEAR – The United States believes Iran wants to build a nuclear bomb. Iran has always denied this, saying its atomic programme is for peaceful purposes only. The focus is on its enrichment of uranium, which generates fuel for nuclear power but can also make material for a warhead. An agreement may eventually be possible including a lengthy moratorium on enrichment and the export or dilution of the stockpile.
BALLISTIC MISSILES – A main U.S. demand before the war was that Iran limit the range of its ballistic missiles so that they could not reach Israel. Iran has always refused to discuss its ballistic missiles, saying its right to conventional weapons cannot be on the table and that it still has a large arsenal.
SANCTIONS AND FROZEN ASSETS – Iran’s economy has been hurt by sanctions for years, contributing to the nationwide unrest in January. Tehran badly needs them to be lifted and tens of billions of dollars of Iranian oil revenues frozen in foreign banks to be released. It also wants reparations for war damage.
(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi; Writing by Angus McDowall and Michael Georgy; Editing by Aidan Lewis)