File image.
Iran’s state TV on May 30 released details of what it said was an unofficial draft of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU), saying that the text would give the Islamic Republic broad authority over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and require the United States to provide Iran full access to $12 billion in frozen assets within 60 days.
One of the most important parts of the draft is the “redefinition of navigation rules” in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran designated as the “exclusive authority” to determine the nature of passing vessels, state TV reported.
Under the reported text, any vessel whose cargo is deemed threatening, or whose final beneficiary is considered hostile to Iran, “will not be recognized as a commercial ship” and would not be allowed to use designated routes.
The draft also gives the Islamic Republic authority over routes, navigation service fees, security arrangements and costs related to repairing environmental damage.
Each vessel would be required to provide information to a relevant naval center and complete forms detailing its cargo, ownership and destination, according to the report, which noted that information would be used to assess whether a vessel poses a threat and could allow physical inspection if needed.
In addition the draft will include a financial provision under which the U.S. would commit to giving Iran full access to $12 billion of its blocked assets within 60 days.
The funds would be “transferable and spendable” in destination banks chosen by the Islamic Republic “without restrictions,” according to the unofficial text of the draft.
Iranian state TV noted that the text remains an “informal understanding” and is still subject to review, negotiation and revision.
The optimistic report came around the same time the U.S. Central Command announced on May 30 that its forces in the Gulf of Oman enforced “blockade measures” by targeting a ship attempting to sail toward an Iranian port a day earlier.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the blockade on Iranian ports after the ceasefire went into effect last month, in response to the Islamic Republic’s restriction on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — a checkpoint for around 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Trump held a roughly two-hour Situation Room meeting on May 29 but left without announcing a decision, despite hitting earlier that he was going to lift the blockade of Iranian ports.
Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, warned on X that Trump is “betraying diplomacy” by failing to lift the blockade.
“As expected, the president of the United States is betraying diplomacy for the third time,” Rezaei said on May 30.
“By continuing the naval blockade and making excessive demands in negotiations,” added Rezaei, Trump has “again proven he is not inclined toward negotiations and is pursuing other goals.”
The blockade is not, however, the only way the U.S. has been attempting to challenge Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz with.
A new report by the Wall Street Journal revealed that some ships have managed to traverse the waterway by turning off lights and navigation beacons and relying on U.S. military guidance to avoid collisions. Shipowners and American officials told the publication that the U.S. advises the ships on when to go dark and how to handle threats from Iranian forces.
While these attempts to challenge Iran in the waterway may be just meant to pressure the Islamic Republic during talks on the MoU, they can be also considered signs of bad faith by the U.S.
Rezaei’s latest remarks shows that Tehran remains very cautious of the ongoing diplomatic engagement with Washington. Thus, an agreement remains unlikely.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com