Iran will not give up control of the Strait of Hormuz even under a possible draft agreement under negotiation with the United States. The country’s state media reported this on Friday (June 12).
Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported that, under the “overall framework” of the draft document currently being finalized, Iran has made no commitment to hand over management of the Strait of Hormuz to anyone else. At the same time, no pledge has been made to restore the situation that existed before the U.S. and Israeli military strikes.
Since the war with the United States and Israel began on Feb. 28, Iran has effectively established control over the Strait of Hormuz, which is highly important for world trade. Iran has allowed only a very limited number of ships to pass through the strait. The country has also made clear that all ships must obtain permission from Iran’s armed forces before crossing it.
On Thursday (June 11), U.S. President Donald Trump claimed he had canceled a planned new strike against Iran. He also said an agreement to end the war could be signed within the next few days. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the country had “not yet reached a final decision” on any agreement.
On Friday (June 12), Iran’s Mehr News agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, published a document it described as the text of the draft agreement in the process of being finalized.
According to Mehr, if the agreement takes effect, it would end the conflict on all battlefronts, including in Lebanon. It would also release $24 billion of Iran’s frozen assets and set a 60-day deadline for talks on Tehran’s nuclear program.
The draft also includes suspending sanctions imposed on the sale of Iran’s oil and petrochemical products. It also mentions the complete lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports that has been in force since April 13.
The Mehr news agency said the draft stresses the need for the United States and its allies to compensate Iran for the damage caused by the war. It also calls for the presentation of a plan of at least $300 billion for Iran’s reconstruction.
The agency further said that final talks will not begin until at least half of Iran’s frozen funds are released, the sanctions on oil are suspended and the naval blockade is lifted.
Iran’s nuclear program has long been one of the main points of dispute with Washington. The United States has long demanded that Tehran give up its uranium enrichment capability and send its stockpile of highly enriched uranium abroad.
In a separate report, the official news agency IRNA said Iran would negotiate only on its nuclear program, and that this would be within the framework of the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic.
The agency also said Iran views the right to enrich uranium and to keep enriched uranium as highly important. It said the final agreement would also stress the inclusion of these matters.
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