The United States is close to reaching a deal with Iran that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lead Iran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, regional officials told The Associated Press on Sunday. They said details and timelines would be worked out later.
Iran has not publicly committed to giving up its uranium – a key demand of US President Donald Trump – and the sides appeared to be close to an agreement in recent weeks. Trump said Saturday that a deal had been “largely negotiated” after talks with Israel and other regional allies.
“Negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into an agreement while time is on our side,” Trump said on social media Sunday. He said U.S. relations with Iran would become “much more professional and productive.”
Reopening the strait would ease a global energy crisis sparked by the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to effectively close the crucial waterway. Prices of oil, gas and several downstream products have skyrocketed, shaking the global economy. Experts believe it would take several weeks or even months for shipping and prices to return to prewar levels.
The U.S. has been blockading Iranian ports for over a month, and Trump said Sunday the blockade would “remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, confirmed and signed.”
An agreement is emerging that provides for Iran to forego uranium
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a visit to India that “significant, although not yet final, progress” had been made in negotiations and that the world no longer had to fear Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, without elaborating.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian told state television that they were ready to “assure the world that we are not after a nuclear weapon.” The Iranian embassy in India responded to Rubio on social media, saying Tehran had an “inalienable” right to nuclear technology.
Iran has always insisted its program is peaceful while enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels.
Under the possible deal, Tehran would agree to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to the two regional officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the delicate negotiations.
An official with direct knowledge of the negotiations said the issue of how Iran would abandon the uranium would be the subject of further negotiations within 60 days. Some would likely be diluted while the rest would be transferred to a third country, the official said. Russia has offered to take it over.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent purity, a small technical advance over the weapons-grade level of 90 percent.
Trump demanded greater concessions from Iran than those required under a 2015 Obama-era deal that the U.S. later withdrew from under Trump.
US President Donald Trump has justified the war with Iran by saying that the country is only two weeks away from having a nuclear weapon. For The National, CBC’s Eli Glasner breaks down these claims and explains how close Iran really came to building a nuclear bomb.
On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the state news agency that there were “narrowing differences” between Iran’s and U.S. positions but that Iran was cautious after being attacked twice during nuclear negotiations last year.
Pakistani army chief Asim Munir, a key mediator, left Tehran late Saturday after further talks with Iranian officials.
The road would be reopened
Under the emerging deal, the Strait of Hormuz would gradually reopen in parallel with the U.S. ending the blockade, the officials said.
The US would allow Iran to sell its oil by lifting sanctions, the second official briefed on the negotiations said. The easing of sanctions and the release of Iran’s frozen funds would be negotiated within the 60-day period, the official said.
Both officials said the draft deal included an end to the war between Israel and the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Twelve weeks have passed since the US and Israel attacked Iran, killing people its supreme leader and other top officials. There has been a ceasefire with Iran since April 7, although there have been occasional exchanges of fire between the sides.
Several countries, including the European Union and the United Kingdom, welcomed progress on a possible deal with Iran.
Israel remains concerned about Hezbollah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a social media post on Sunday: “President Trump and I agreed that any final deal with Iran must eliminate the nuclear threat” and that Trump reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself “on every front, including Lebanon.”
Israeli Science Minister Gila Gamliel, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party and part of his national security cabinet, told Israeli Army Radio that Israel was taking a “wait and see” approach.
Israeli officials fear that Hezbollah continues to pose a serious threat to Israel and that Lebanon is ill-equipped to disarm them.
A fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in Lebanon on April 17, but fighting continued, especially in the south. Hezbollah has launched daily drone and rocket attacks on Israeli forces and northern Israel, and Israel has struck targets across Lebanon while its troops are stationed in much of the south.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, more than 3,000 people have been killed in the latest round of fighting. In addition, according to Netanyahu’s office, 22 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor were killed in or near southern Lebanon, and two civilians were killed in northern Israel.
