Iran Secures Last-Minute Diplomatic Concessions from US in MoU Talks

Iran has reportedly secured a number of important concessions in last-minute negotiations with the United States regarding a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Several provisions in the draft agreement were reportedly amended to favour Tehran. According to a report by Tasnim news agency, negotiations remained intense until the final moments before the official announcement, indicating highly intensive bargaining over the wording and timing of key clauses. An internal source told Tasnim that one of the main amendments successfully inserted was the addition of a clause guaranteeing ‘sovereignty and respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity’ in the first article, a provision initially opposed by US President Donald Trump. The report added that Iran, together with Oman, succeeded in inserting an additional phrase regarding ‘management of maritime navigation services in the Strait of Hormuz’ into the fifth clause of the memorandum. This point became a crucial focus of adjustments during the talks. Additionally, a 60-day fee exemption period was agreed upon regarding the collection of levies from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. After this period ends, Iran plans to begin imposing tariffs in the strait. The source revealed that Trump had previously insisted that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the naval blockade be carried out simultaneously, precisely at the time of the MoU announcement. However, this proposal was flatly rejected by Iran. Instead, both parties agreed that the process of reopening the Strait of Hormuz would only commence after the formal signing of the memorandum, scheduled for Friday. Tasnim also reported that Trump initially claimed in a social media post that the Strait of Hormuz and the blockade had been opened simultaneously, but he later revised his statement after receiving notification from Pakistani mediators. In his latest post, Trump confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz would only be reopened after Friday.