Reported U.S.-Iran draft deal would extend truce, ease sanctions and reopen Hormuz

Al Arabiya has published the draft final terms of an emerging agreement between the United States and Iran. According to sources who spoke to the Saudi channel, the deal would extend the ceasefire by 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, and begin gradual U.S. sanctions relief on Tehran.

During the 60-day period, talks would continue on enriched uranium, while the most sensitive parts of Iran’s nuclear program would be pushed to the next stage of negotiations. The draft also reportedly ends the American blockade on Iranian ports, allows Iranian oil to be sold and exported, and sets out a phased review of additional sanctions relief. A ceasefire on all fronts would remain in place so the talks can continue without an immediate return to war.

President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States and Iran could sign an agreement as early as next week. He said it would restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. “Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. They agreed to that,” Trump told reporters. “It is a good deal for the United States, the Middle East and Iran.”

Trump also wrote earlier on his social network that he had canceled planned strikes on Iran after progress in the talks. He said the “final points were approved by all involved parties,” including the United States, Israel, Gulf states, Qatar, Turkey and others, though he added that the naval blockade would stay in force until the agreement is fully completed. Other reports said the talks are still unresolved on several issues, including how to release tens of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds, how exactly to reopen Hormuz, and the precise framework for nuclear negotiations during the 60-day period. If signed, the deal would be the most significant diplomatic achievement so far since the war between the United States and Iran began about three months ago, a conflict that and the Hormuz blockade drove global energy prices higher and raised concerns over oil and gas supplies.