New Delhi, May 06: After protracted and tough negotiations, the United States and Iran are close to finalising a deal to end the conflict. The two sides have held marathon talks for weeks to iron out their differences and arrive at a mutually acceptable framework that could pave the way for a formal agreement and long-term peace.
“We will close this very soon. We are getting close,” the US source said.
Washington believes it is close to reaching an agreement with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, US news outlet Axios reported Wednesday, citing two US officials.
The two sides are close to agreeing on a “one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.”
It is reported that the two sides have virtually reached an understanding on the most contentious issues, particularly Iran’s nuclear programme and the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil transit route. However, a key sticking point still remains over the duration of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities. While Washington is insisting on a long-term freeze of around 20 years to ensure that Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons, Iran is reportedly willing to accept a shorter timeline of 12 to 15 years. This gap, though narrower than before, continues to be the main hurdle in finalising the agreement, even as both sides show flexibility on other aspects such as sanctions relief, release of frozen assets, and restoration of maritime movement in the region.
According to Axios, the two sides are close to agreeing on a “one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.”
It said the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment and the United States agreeing to release billions of dollars of frozen Iranian funds.
Washington is reportedly awaiting a response from Tehran on several key points in the next 48 hours.
“Nothing has been agreed yet, but the sources said this was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began,” Axios said.
Meanwhile,President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a pause in the program, dubbed “Project Freedom,” while noting that the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect. The president attributed the move to requests from other countries, including Pakistan, whose leadership has been moderating negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.
The post addressed the peace talks, as well, with Trump stating that “great progress” had been made toward a final agreement with Iranian leadership. He said the decision to put “Project Freedom” on hold would allow time to see if a permanent deal could be reached.
Report says that Washington is of the belief that an agreement is within reach as they are moving close to a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war.
