Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that conclusions have been reached on many topics discussed in a potential 14-point memorandum of understanding, but this does not mean a deal to end the Middle East war is imminent.
The framework is focused on an end to the war and a U.S. naval blockade in exchange for Tehran taking steps to ensure safe transit in the Strait of Hormuz, said the spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei.
If Iran’s Supreme National Security Council approves the memorandum of understanding, it will then be sent to the country’s supreme leader for final approval.
The U.S. understood Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had endorsed the broad template of the deal, the senior U.S. official said.
If the first phase of the agreement progressed, the nuclear issue could be reviewed and negotiated during the 60-day period, Baghaei and Nooshabadi said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of entering into a “very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter” during the 60 days.
The last deal over the nuclear programme – struck in 2015 and torn up by U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018 – took years of negotiations between large teams of technical experts. (Reuters)