The Strait of Hormuz Will Reopen and the U.S. Will Lift Sanctions on Iran Under Terms of Agreement
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
The United States is expected to lift sanctions against Iran and unfreeze funds and assets linked to the country's regime, according to a 14-point memorandum of understanding provided to NBC News by a senior U.S. official. The provisional agreement states the intention to achieve an 'immediate and permanent cessation of military operations' in the war between the U.S. and Israel and Iran, a conflict that began on February 28, unleashing chaos in the Middle East and shaking the global economy. Both parties commit to holding new talks to reach a more substantial 'final agreement' within 60 days, 'extendable by mutual consent.' The memorandum stipulates the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran committing to allow the 'safe passage of commercial vessels at no cost for only 60 days,' followed by negotiations with Oman to 'define the future administration' of this vital trade route, through which nearly 20% of the world's oil passed before the war. Under the agreement, the U.S. will 'end all types of sanctions,' 'fully make available frozen or restricted funds and assets,' and begin lifting the naval blockade on Iranian ports. Iran 'reaffirms that it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons,' establishing a 'mutually agreed' mechanism regarding its reserves of 'enriched material.' The senior U.S. official stated that Iran's commitment to destroy its reserves of enriched material represents 'a huge victory for the United States of America,' adding that the relief of sanctions will be linked to the nuclear agreement and contingent upon 'the extent' to which Iran meets its obligations. One point in the memorandum that could draw criticism is the U.S. commitment to work with regional partners to devise a plan to allocate at least $300 billion to Iran for its 'reconstruction and economic development.' The draft of the memorandum notes that the mechanism for distributing these funds will be defined during the 60-day negotiation period. A senior U.S. official downplayed this point, stating that the U.S. is not obligated to contribute to the fund. 'What it says is that if we reach a final agreement and the Iranians behave properly, we will allow the relief of sanctions that would enable, for example, the Emiratis to build a power plant in Iran. That's all it says,' the official stated. 'If they do what they are supposed to do, we will allow investment in the reconstruction of their country.' Another senior U.S. official indicated that the agreement contains the same text agreed upon on Sunday, adding that Iran had requested that it not be made public until now. 'I think it was unfortunate, obviously, that we couldn't release it immediately,' he commented. He added: 'If we don't achieve a great agreement, President Trump is very clear that he has numerous tools at his disposal and will not hesitate to use them.' A ceasefire was agreed upon in April to allow for negotiations, although both parties have continued to carry out some attacks since then. World leaders attending the G7 summit in the French tourist town of Evian-les-Bains expressed their support for the agreement early Wednesday. In a statement issued overnight, they called the agreement a 'historic opportunity to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to address threats related to its regional and ballistic activities.' They also expressed their willingness to contribute to its implementation. Although G7 leaders supported the agreement, Trump still needs to convince some members of his own Republican Party, who are likely to be skeptical of measures to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Trump administration officials have been stating for months that the main goal of the war is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and they have maintained that this issue will be central to any agreement, eight years after Trump's decision during his first term to withdraw from the previous deal reached under President Barack Obama, known as the JCPOA. Under that agreement, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program—subject to compliance verification by UN inspectors—in exchange for a 'comprehensive lifting' of sanctions and the unfreezing of assets. 'Their agreement was really dangerous; what it did was give them everything, including a lot of money,' Trump stated on Wednesday. He later added that under his own agreement, frozen Iranian funds would be released 'only if they do the right things.' Iran has always maintained that it does not wish to develop nuclear weapons, although U.S. officials claim that the country has enriched uranium to levels close to military grade—far beyond what is necessary for civilian uses—and has a history of non-compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency. One of the most delicate aspects of the agreement requires an immediate cessation of all hostilities, including the conflict in Lebanon, where various ceasefire attempts have failed to end attacks between Israel and Hezbollah, the Tehran-backed militant group. 'Peace in Lebanon is something we will have to work on a bit,' Trump stated on Wednesday. Israel is not a direct party to the agreement between the U.S. and Iran. 'We have maintained very, very constant contact with the Israelis,' the second U.S. official noted. 'They remain skeptical, just like we do, and obviously they are preparing for what happens if Iran does not make the concessions outlined in the final agreement.' They added: 'We were very clear with Iran in telling them that this will not be a unilateral ceasefire; they have to rein in their dog, Hezbollah, and contain it. And if Hezbollah attacks Israel, Israel will have full capacity to retaliate.' Iran has maintained that under the agreement, Israel must withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, an area where nearly 4,000 people—including hundreds of civilians—have died and more than a million have been displaced since fighting began on March 2. Israel has maintained its stance to continue defending itself and occupying large areas of Lebanon; in fact, this week they have continued some attacks despite the agreement. According to the text of the memorandum of understanding, an executive mechanism will be established 'to oversee the successful implementation' of the agreement between the U.S. and Iran, which will be supported by a binding resolution from the UN Security Council. This article was originally published in English by Henry Austin, Nick Duffy, Abigail Williams, and Gabe Gutierrez for our sister network NBC News. The note was translated with the help of an artificial intelligence tool. An editor from Telemundo Digital reviewed the translation.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
