Iran Maintains Deep Distrust of US Despite Agreed Peace Framework

Iran and the United States have agreed to make peace. Despite this, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has stated that deep distrust towards the US remains. The ministry said Tehran still harbours “deep distrust” towards the United States despite the agreed framework to end the war. “Unfortunately, it must be acknowledged that Iran’s deep distrust of the United States stems from a long history of mistakes made by American leaders,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told 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 de-escalation,” he continued. Baqaei said Washington has committed to releasing frozen Iranian funds held abroad and providing compensation for losses incurred during the war under the framework agreement. “The release of Iran’s frozen assets and compensation for damages are two important points. The American side has committed to taking action in both areas,” he said. 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. He also stated the US must ensure that Israel commits to halting the war in Lebanon under the framework agreement. “The United States must honour its commitments. They must ensure that the Zionist regime also honours its own commitments regarding Lebanon,” Baqaei said, adding that Tehran “trusts neither Israel nor the United States”. The framework paves the way for 60 days of negotiations towards a final agreement encompassing Iran’s controversial nuclear programme and the lifting of long-standing sanctions imposed 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 very important… but the most effective guarantee for the implementation of any commitment lies in the influence and power we have identified over the last three months,” he said. The peace deal between the US and Iran was first announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who said Washington and Tehran had agreed to an “immediate and permanent” cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. Trump later confirmed the peace deal in a separate statement via social media platform Truth Social, announcing that the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened and the US naval blockade lifted. “The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now done. Congratulations to all parties!” Trump said in his statement. Trump also signalled the resumption of maritime traffic and energy shipments through the strategic waterway, stating: “Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” The conflict between Iran and the US erupted in late February, with US-Israeli strikes against Iran, which then retaliated with attacks against Israel and US allies in the region.