WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday released the full text of a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreed with Iran, providing the first detailed public account of a framework aimed at ending hostilities, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The document, officially titled the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” was released after growing calls for transparency regarding the terms of the agreement.
According to the text, the United States and Iran have agreed to an immediate cessation of military operations and committed to refraining from the use or threat of force against one another. The agreement also extends to the Lebanese front, where both sides pledged to uphold Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The memorandum establishes a 60-day negotiation period, which may be extended by mutual consent, to finalize a comprehensive agreement addressing outstanding political, security and nuclear issues.
Under the accord, Washington will begin lifting its naval blockade of Iran immediately and is expected to fully remove maritime restrictions within 30 days. The United States also committed to withdrawing forces from the vicinity of Iran following the conclusion of a final agreement.
In return, Iran agreed to facilitate the safe passage of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz without transit charges for an initial 60-day period. Maritime traffic is expected to resume immediately and return to pre-war levels within a month as demining and other technical measures are completed.
One of the most significant provisions concerns Iran’s economy. The United States pledged to work with regional partners on a reconstruction and economic development package worth at least $300 billion. Details of the mechanism are to be finalized during negotiations.
The memorandum also commits Washington to pursuing the termination of sanctions against Iran, including unilateral US sanctions and measures linked to international bodies, under a mutually agreed timetable to be incorporated into a final settlement.
On the nuclear issue, Iran reaffirmed that it would not seek or develop nuclear weapons. The two sides agreed to negotiate arrangements concerning Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium, with down-blending under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) identified as the minimum acceptable method.
Pending a final agreement, Tehran agreed to maintain the current status of its nuclear programme, while Washington committed not to impose additional sanctions or deploy new military forces to the region.
The agreement further provides for immediate waivers allowing the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and related services, including banking, insurance and transportation activities.
Washington also undertook to make available Iranian funds and assets that have been frozen or restricted, with both sides expected to agree on implementation procedures during the negotiation process.
To oversee implementation, the two countries agreed to establish a monitoring mechanism responsible for ensuring compliance with both the memorandum and any future final agreement.
The document states that negotiations on a comprehensive settlement will begin once key provisions related to the ceasefire, maritime access, oil exports and asset releases are implemented.
The final agreement, according to the memorandum, will ultimately be endorsed through a binding resolution of the United Nations Security Council.
The release of the text marks the clearest indication yet of the scope of the US-Iran understanding and sets the stage for what are expected to be intensive negotiations over sanctions relief, regional security arrangements and the future of Iran’s nuclear activities in the coming weeks.