But almost immediately after the signing, Tehran made clear that it has no intention of surrendering its enriched uranium. Iran’s Foreign Ministry stressed that the enriched nuclear material will remain inside Iran and will not be transferred abroad, a position that could become the central point of confrontation in the next stage of negotiations. The memorandum, according to the reported text, declares an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. It also commits both sides to avoid further military action, respect sovereignty, and begin negotiations toward a final agreement within 60 days. One of the most urgent parts of the deal concerns the Strait of Hormuz. Under the memorandum, Iran is expected to restore safe commercial passage through the strait, while the United States begins removing its naval blockade and related restrictions.
The deal also provides for the gradual return of maritime traffic and technical steps, including mine-clearing, within 30 days The economic side of the agreement is no less dramatic. The memorandum reportedly includes a U.S.-led reconstruction and development plan for Iran worth at least $300 billion, along with a framework for sanctions relief, oil-export permissions, and access to frozen Iranian assets. The nuclear section is the most politically explosive. Iran reaffirms that it will not produce or acquire nuclear weapons, but the agreement does not require Tehran to ship its enriched uranium out of the country. Instead, the reported framework speaks of handling the material through an agreed mechanism, with downblending inside Iran under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. (Read More)
