▲ Tehran, the capital of Iran
Iran has disclosed the draft of an end-of-war agreement that it is scheduled to sign with the United States in the form of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on June 19.
However, this explanation was released several hours before the announcement of the negotiation settlement, and the actual finalized agreement may differ from these details.
Additionally, as it entirely reflects Iran's interpretation, it may conflict with the U.S. interpretation in the future.
The English edition of Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency published an explanation of the draft MOU's contents around 4:44 p.m. Tehran time on June 14, as conveyed by Mohammadi, a "strategic advisor to the head of the Iranian negotiating team."
Although the article only identifies the source as "Mohammadi," circumstantial evidence suggests the individual is likely Mehdi Mohammadi.
He serves as a strategic advisor to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament and Iran's chief negotiator.
According to Mehr News Agency, Mohammadi detailed the draft agreement, which consists of 14 clauses, in an audio file.
He emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran currently provides various services, including safety, navigation, and security, in the Strait of Hormuz and collects fees for them, stating, "The right to collect these fees belongs entirely to Iran and Oman, and no other party has the authority to make decisions regarding this."
He added that this system is already in place and will remain unchanged regardless of any future agreements.
According to Mohammadi, the first clause of the draft stipulates that the current war must stop on all fronts, including Iran and Lebanon.
Mohammadi added that the U.S. has agreed to provide these commitments on behalf of itself as well as Israel, and once the agreement is signed, the opposing side will be obligated to immediately end the war.
He claimed that this is an incredibly significant achievement and a sign of the other side's failure in the war, as they did not enter the conflict with the intention of ending it in the first place.
He emphasized that this is the first time in history that the Islamic Republic of Iran has forced the U.S. to provide guarantees on behalf of Israel.
Mohammadi stressed, "Until now, the Americans have never accepted this kind of agreement. The long-standing joint strategy of the U.S. and Israel was for the U.S. government to sign agreements while Israel remained outside that framework to maintain its freedom of action. In this document, we did not tolerate that."
He also emphasized that Iran's commitments would be reciprocal.
He said, "If they (the U.S. side) do not fulfill their obligations, we will not either. The strait will remain blocked, we will not proceed to the next stage of negotiations, and if necessary, we will go to war. They are fully aware of this fact."
Regarding the U.S. maritime blockade of Iran, Mohammadi said that upon signing the agreement, measures to lift maritime restrictions and prevent any interference with Iranian shipping must begin immediately.
He explained that through this process, shipping activities must be restored to pre-blockade levels within 30 days.
He also mentioned the proposed development and reconstruction fund worth $300 billion (455 trillion won).
The term "reconstruction" was used in the document, which he explained means repairing the damage caused by the war.
He claimed, "Although the word 'compensation' is not explicitly mentioned, it is clear that when the other side talks about reconstruction, it means compensation for the damage Iran suffered during the war."
Furthermore, he said that this is the first time the U.S. has promised to lift primary sanctions as well as secondary sanctions in a final agreement, stating, "Such a promise has never existed before."
Mohammadi noted that comprehensive sanctions relief will not occur until the second stage of negotiations is reached.
He also emphasized that the other side's demands regarding Iran's nuclear program are currently limited to highly enriched nuclear materials, and no discussions are underway regarding other aspects of Iran's nuclear activities.
Although not included in Mohammadi's explanation, the draft agreement previously claimed by Iran included the exclusion of Iran's missiles and proxy forces—issues Israel has long considered critical—from the negotiation agenda.
Mohammadi said, "There is a sentence in the document that allows discussions on other nuclear issues, but discussions are possible only if both parties agree."
Mohammadi said, "If the other side wants to raise new issues, they must first obtain our consent before any discussion. Naturally, the Islamic Republic will not accept all topics. Without mutual consent, there will be no negotiations."
He added that even if both sides reach a final agreement, Iran's obligations will be limited to a promise not to build nuclear weapons and resolving the issue of its 60% enriched uranium stockpile through a formula proposed by Tehran.
Mohammadi added that the "dilution" of nuclear material is being discussed in this context, saying, "Even if the material is diluted, it will remain in the country, and if necessary, it can be restored to a higher enrichment level in a short period of time."
He also explained that there are no immediate nuclear-related measures Iran needs to take under this MOU.
He said, "Everything has been postponed to the future. First, we must see if the other side lifts the blockade, unfreezes frozen assets, suspends oil sanctions, and ends the war in Lebanon. If these things happen, only then can we consider the next steps."
Mohammadi also said that under this agreement, the U.S. must withdraw its troops from the region surrounding Iran within 30 days, stating, "Imagine the significance of the United States writing down and signing a promise to withdraw its troops from near Iran. That achievement is priceless."
Regarding the lifting of sanctions, Mohammadi reiterated that the draft MOU includes a promise that the U.S. will lift primary sanctions as well as secondary sanctions once a final agreement is reached.
He explained that in contrast to previous agreements, including the 2015 nuclear deal, where many types of sanctions were not addressed in negotiations, the draft MOU includes the lifting of all sanctions as a subject of discussion.
However, Mohammadi pointed out that the implementation of these measures depends on whether a final agreement on the nuclear issue is reached.
Mohammadi's explanation also included some details whose inclusion in the final MOU was uncertain at the time of his explanation.
He said that a demand to unfreeze half of Iran's frozen assets in the early stages of the agreement's implementation is being discussed, and the Iranian side is working hard to secure such a commitment from the U.S. side.
This remark shows that at the time the explanation was given, it had not been finalized whether such details would be included in the final MOU to be agreed upon and signed by both sides.
The draft agreement also includes a plan to back the implementation through a UN Security Council resolution once a final agreement, including on the nuclear issue, is signed.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.