US-Iran deal to open strait for 60 days, Iran to discuss giving up enriched uranium: Reports |
The US and Iran are close to signing a deal involving a 60-day ceasefire extension, during which the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, Iran would be able to freely sell oil, and negotiations would be held on curbing Iran’s nuclear program — including it giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium, the Axios news site reported on Sunday, citing a US official.
According to the Axios report, during the 60 days, the Strait of Hormuz would be open with no tolls, and Iran would agree to clear the mines it deployed in the strait to allow ships to pass freely.
In exchange, as part of the proposed deal, the US would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and issue some sanctions waivers to allow Iran to sell oil freely, the report added.
The draft agreement also includes commitments from Iran to never pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate over a suspension of its uranium enrichment program and the removal of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the Axios report said.
Iran gave the US, via the mediators, verbal commitments about the scope of the concessions it’s willing to make on suspending enrichment and giving up its nuclear material, two sources told Axios.
The detail on Iran agreeing to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium was also cited by two US officials who spoke anonymously to the New York Times.
According to the officials, Iran has committed in a general statement to giving up the uranium, rather than reaching an agreement with the US on exactly how it will relinquish it. Instead, the exact details will be worked out during the negotiations that will begin once a deal is reached.
The report came days after Iranian sources claimed that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, had issued a directive that the near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad.
Later Sunday, a senior Iranian source told Reuters that Tehran has not agreed to hand over its highly enriched uranium stockpile. The source said Iran’s nuclear issue was not part of the preliminary agreement with the United States.
“The nuclear issue will be addressed in negotiations for a final agreement and is therefore not part of the current deal. There has been no agreement over........