Memorandum of understanding reached on 60-day ceasefire extension, President Donald Trump yet to approve
Washington: The United States and Iran have agreed to extend the ceasefire in the war for 60 days, but President Donald Trump has not yet approved it, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Among the first issues to be negotiated in the 60-day window will be what happens to Iran’s highly enriched uranium, a U.S. official said. Details of the interim agreement announced First reported by US news outlet Axios.
Iran did not immediately approve any deal, and the official noted that Trump had not yet signed the deal. The White House declined to comment.
The memorandum of understanding came at a time when the fragile ceasefire in the war between the United States and Iran was beginning to shake. The latest flare-up in hostilities occurred less than a day ago, when Kuwait intercepted missiles fired from Iran, according to U.S. Central Command.
The memorandum makes clear that Iran cannot impose a toll on the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran will have to remove all mines from the vital waterway within 30 days, according to the US official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the United States would gradually lift its naval blockade on the strait, through which about one-fifth of oil and gas trade passed before the war. The closure caused oil prices to skyrocket and fuel prices to rise around the world.
The US would also agree to ease sanctions by allowing Iran to sell more oil.
A second U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomacy, said the broad outlines of the agreement had been reached but emphasized that a deal would not be made until Trump signed it.
The Trump administration has said several times that a deal to end the conflict was close, but Iran has disputed or downplayed those claims.
Trump initially said the war would last four to six weeks, but now it’s three months old. He suggested that sometimes conflict may end within a few days, but then continue for some time.
Expectations for the deal rose over the weekend after Trump canceled plans to stay in Washington for the weekend and called off his son’s wedding, citing “government circumstances.”
On Sunday, a senior Trump administration official downplayed an imminent agreement but said there was agreement in principle on the broad outlines of the deal.
Trump is coming under increasing pressure from Iran hawks in his own party, who are urging him not to make any deal that does not immediately address Iran’s nuclear program.
Voters’ growing concern, particularly about gasoline prices, has increased political pressure on Trump’s Republican Party, which is expected to struggle to maintain control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate.
Trump said his main goal in the war was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons with highly enriched uranium. Tehran has consistently denied that it plans to do this.
More to come
AP, Reuters
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