Reported US-Iran Draft Outlines End of War and Lifting of Sanctions

Al Arabiya reported Tuesday evening that it obtained a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran that sketches a roadmap to end the confrontation between the two countries. Under the draft, the sides would declare an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and pledge not to carry out hostile acts or use force.

The document says the two countries would then hold intensive negotiations to reach a final agreement within 60 days. In the meantime, the United States would lift the naval blockade, restore merchant shipping to prewar levels, and withdraw its forces from surrounding areas within 30 days after the final deal is signed.

Iran, for its part, would ensure the resumption of shipping in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman by clearing mines and removing technical obstacles. On the economic side, Washington would prepare a broad reconstruction and development plan for Iran worth at least $300 billion, and would end all sanctions on Iran, including UN Security Council measures and unilateral US sanctions, on a timetable to be agreed later.

Until then, the US Treasury would issue exemptions for oil, petrochemicals, and financial services exports, and would allow the full release of frozen Iranian funds and assets. On the nuclear issue, the sides agreed to preserve the status quo: Iran would not build nuclear weapons and would keep its program at its current level, while the United States would refrain from imposing new sanctions or reinforcing its forces in the region. The fate of enriched material and other nuclear issues would be settled in the final agreement, which would require a binding UN Security Council resolution. Implementation would begin once assurances were received on the blockade lift, export exemptions, and release of funds.