Iran Faces Deep Distrust of US Despite Peace Agreement

Iran is experiencing a crisis of trust towards the United States despite having agreed to a peace deal. The deep-seated distrust was conveyed by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Unfortunately, it must be acknowledged that Iran’s profound distrust of the United States stems from a long history of mistakes made by American leaders,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei during a press conference. “The United States still has a long road ahead before it can earn the trust of the Iranian people; the framework is merely a step towards reducing tensions,” Baqaei continued. Baqaei stated that Washington has committed to releasing frozen Iranian funds held abroad and providing compensation for wartime losses under the framework agreement. “The release of frozen Iranian assets and compensation for damages are two important points. The American side has committed to taking action in both areas,” Baqaei explained. Under the agreement, Iran will manage the Strait of Hormuz, the main artery for global oil supplies which Iran has blockaded since the start of the war, and will charge maritime service fees to vessels transiting the waterway, rather than imposing tolls. “We have always maintained that we do not seek to collect transit tolls, but fees for navigation services, environmental protection, ship insurance, and other essential services will be charged,” Baqaei said. Baqaei also stated that the US must ensure Israel commits to halting the war in Lebanon under the framework agreement. This framework paves the way for 60 days of negotiations towards a final agreement covering Iran’s controversial nuclear programme and the lifting of long-standing sanctions against it. “The final agreement is expected to be endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution after the 60-day period,” Baqaei said, adding that Tehran “will learn from past experiences”. “The endorsement of the resolution will be crucial… but the most effective guarantee for the implementation of any commitment lies in the influence and power we have identified over the past three months,” he said.