Shafaq News- Tehran
The process of reopening the Strait of Hormuz will beginafter Iran and the United States sign a memorandum of understanding scheduledfor next Friday, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported on Monday, citing aninformed source.
The disagreements over several provisions continued untilthe final moments before the agreement was announced, the source revealed,adding that US President Donald Trump had insisted on reopening the Strait andlifting sanctions on Iran simultaneously and immediately upon announcing theunderstanding. Tehran rejected that proposal, the source said.
“Trump later revised his first post about the agreement, asan Iranian notification delivered through a Pakistani mediator.”
According to the source, the first clause was revised toinclude the phrase “guaranteeing sovereignty and respecting Lebanon’sterritorial integrity” after Iran objected to the previous wording, noting thata provision was also added to the fifth clause assigning Iran and Omanresponsibility for “managing maritime navigation services in the Strait ofHormuz.”
The agreement also stipulates that vessels transiting thestrait will be exempt from passage fees for 60 days, after which Iran willbegin collecting transit charges, the source said.
Earlier in the day, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister KazemGharibabadi said the text of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and theUnited States had been finalized.
Speaking to Iranian state television, Gharibabadi observedthat two immediate agreements would enter into force from dawn on Monday. “The negotiationprocess had taken a long time and was conducted through mediation by Pakistanand Qatar,” he stated, adding that aQatari delegation arrived in Iran on Sunday and held talks that lasted about 15hours.
