US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday evening the completion of a deal with Iran. According to him, the deal sanctions the full opening of the Strait of Hormuz without any fees from passing vessels and provides for the immediate lifting of the American naval blockade.
However, an hour later, Trump clarified that the opening of the Strait depends on the signing of an agreement scheduled for Friday and will be linked to demining operations. The Guardian reports this.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, acting as a mediator between the parties, did not mention the Strait of Hormuz at all in his initial statement. The Iranian agency Mehr reported that the memorandum provides for the opening of the Strait within 30 days in accordance with "Iranian agreements."
In an interview with The New York Times, Donald Trump stated that, despite the objections of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it was he who saved Israel from nuclear annihilation. He criticized Netanyahu, calling the Israeli leader "an extremely difficult person," adding that Netanyahu "should be very grateful to the United States for what they have done." "Because if Iran had nuclear weapons, Israel would not exist for two hours," Trump emphasized.
The US President characterized Iran's current leadership, including the new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as pragmatists, and no longer mentioned calls for the Iranian people to revolt against their own government. In response to a journalist's question about this, he noted that Iranians do not have access to weapons, and in the event of an attempted uprising, they would simply be killed.
The text of the "memorandum of understanding" has not yet been published. Donald Trump in his statements focused on the Strait of Hormuz and avoided mentioning Lebanon. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated unequivocally: "A permanent and immediate cessation of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, has been announced."
In Iran, the agreement is presented as an unconditional victory for Tehran and the "axis of resistance." The Mehr agency points out that "thanks to the steadfastness and fierce resistance of the Iranian people, America was forced to decide to withdraw troops from all fronts, including Lebanon."
The central headquarters of the Iranian army "Khatam al-Anbiya" published statements that "the steadfast and proud people of Iran and the powerful armed forces of the country and the 'axis of resistance' have imposed their indestructible will on the humiliated American and Zionist enemies and convincingly proved that they have no other way but to admit defeat and surrender."
Over the next few days, a series of meetings will take place between mediators and representatives of Iran and the United States, and on June 19, the official signing of the agreement is expected in Switzerland.