US outlines Iran deal terms on Lebanon, Hormuz and uranium
A 14-point US-Iran memorandum covers ceasefires, shipping, nuclear stockpiles, sanctions and reconstruction, but several enforcement questions remain.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
The Trump administration has described a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran that addresses fighting in Lebanon, the Strait of Hormuz, uranium enrichment, sanctions and reconstruction funding, Al Jazeera reported. The details matter because Washington and Tehran have not released a signed text, and Iranian officials have not confirmed the US account.
Al Jazeera reported that a US official read the text to reporters on Wednesday. The agreement had been expected to be signed in Switzerland on Friday, but US President Donald Trump signed it in Versailles on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera.
Lebanon and regional fighting
The first clause, as read by the US official, says the US and Iran agreed to an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported. It also says both sides would support Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The reported text does not name Israel, which Al Jazeera said occupies one-fifth of Lebanon and has carried out near-daily strikes since early March. Al Jazeera reported that those attacks have killed at least 3,000 people and displaced more than one million.
Israel and Hezbollah are not parties to the memorandum, and Al Jazeera reported that the text does not explain how a Lebanon ceasefire would be enforced. The document also does not mention Iran’s support for allied armed groups in the region, according to Al Jazeera.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Monday that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intended to keep Israeli forces in security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an unlimited period, Al Jazeera reported. Tehran has repeatedly made an end to Israeli operations in Lebanon a condition for a broader deal, according to the report.
Hormuz and maritime traffic
The memorandum says the US will start lifting its naval blockade and end it fully within 30 days, Al Jazeera reported. It also says US forces will be removed within 30 days after a final deal.
On shipping, the reported text says Iran will make its best efforts to allow commercial vessels to pass without charge for 60 days between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. It also says Iran will discuss future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz with Oman.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran closed the strait after US-Israeli strikes began, while the US later imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Some ships were allowed through during the conflict after negotiations with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with some reportedly paying tolls of up to $2m per vessel, according to Al Jazeera.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s lead negotiator, said Wednesday that Hormuz would not return to prewar conditions and that Iran would charge for services to shipping, Al Jazeera reported.
Uranium, sanctions and reconstruction
The memorandum says Iran reaffirms that it will not obtain or develop nuclear weapons, Al Jazeera reported. It says Washington and Tehran will agree on a mechanism for handling enriched stockpiles, with on-site downblending under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision as the minimum method.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran is believed to have about 440kg, or 970lb, of uranium enriched to 60 percent. The report said that level is below the 90 percent associated with weapons-grade material but above the three to five percent used for nuclear power.
The agreement does not use the word reparations, according to Al Jazeera. It says the US will work with regional partners on a plan of at least $300bn for Iran’s reconstruction and economic development, while granting the needed licenses, waivers and permissions for related financial transactions.
The reported sanctions clause says the US will end all types of sanctions against Iran on an agreed schedule as part of a final deal. Al Jazeera reported that the text does not specify whether that covers only US sanctions or also United Nations sanctions.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.