The White House confirmed the Axios report about the Memorandum of Understanding between and , which provides for the extension of the current ceasefire for another 60 days.
However, the final approval by the American president, Donald Trump, is still pending.
As it happened earlier, as reported in a related publication. The memorandum of understanding has a duration of 60 days and aims to extend the ceasefire and start negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
At the same time, all sides involved in the conflict in the Middle East seem to be investing in further escalation in the field, especially after the recent US strikes, Tehran’s response with missile launches towards Kuwait, but also the expansion of the Israeli operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, beyond the Litani River.
What does the draft that is being circulated provide?
According to reports, the draft memorandum is being circulated by the administration of Donald Trump to US allies, including Israel. In an effort to speed up the negotiations, Pakistan’s foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, is due to travel to Washington tomorrow for a meeting with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio.
The plan promoted by the US is not significantly different from the one that has been circulating in the Middle East for days. It envisages opening the Straits of Hormuz to commercial shipping, lifting the US blockade of Iranian ports and giving Iran access to up to $12bn (£9bn) in frozen assets.
The goal is for trade through the Straits of Hormuz to return to pre-war levels within 30 days, while negotiations on the future of Iran’s nuclear program begin for up to 60 days.
The talks will include issues such as Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, a time-bound moratorium on further enrichment, as well as oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear agency. China is pushing for any deal reached to be ratified by the United Nations Security Council.
However, the framework of the deal being discussed is considered particularly difficult for Israel to accept, as it postpones Iran’s final commitments on its nuclear program and stipulates that a permanent ceasefire should also include Lebanon.
