According to reports from Saudi media on May 22, cited by Xinhua, the draft agreement between the US and Iran includes an immediate, comprehensive, and unconditional ceasefire on all fronts.
Specifically, the draft agreement includes commitments not to target military, civilian, or economic infrastructure; to stop military actions and media wars; to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity and not interfere in internal affairs; to ensure freedom of navigation in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman; and to establish a joint supervision and conflict resolution mechanism.
On May 21, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bagheri said in an interview that the current focus of the negotiations is to end the wars on all fronts, including Lebanon, and that media reports about nuclear issues, including uranium enrichment, are mere speculation. Accurate information about the negotiations will be provided by authorized officials and the negotiating team.
US President Trump said at the White House on the same day that Iran must hand over its highly enriched uranium, which the US will likely destroy. He has repeatedly threatened Iran to hand over its enriched uranium and revealed that the US Space Force has been monitoring Iran’s buried enriched uranium. Iran’s Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei has ordered that the country’s enriched uranium stockpile not be transferred abroad.
Over the past two days, the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in Helsingborg, Sweden, focusing on the situation in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. US Secretary of State Rubio said that some progress has been made on the Iranian issue. He reiterated that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons and criticized Iran’s attempt to establish a “toll system” in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the international community cannot accept it.
Earlier this week, due to the difficulties in the negotiations, the US and Israel were planning to launch another military strike against Iran.
On May 18, Trump posted on social media platform “Real Social” that he had ordered a halt to the planned military strike against Iran the next day at the request of the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. In their view, the two sides will eventually reach an agreement. Importantly, this agreement will explicitly include the core clause that Iran will not possess nuclear weapons.
He instructed the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the US military to cancel the planned strike on the 19th. However, he also issued further instructions: if a satisfactory agreement is not reached, the US military must remain on high alert and be ready to launch a comprehensive and large-scale military strike against Iran at any time.
Iran had submitted a new 14-point negotiation text to the US through Pakistan earlier this week, which prioritizes ending the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and lifting maritime sanctions. The contentious issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and uranium enrichment will be discussed in subsequent negotiations.
A source close to the US-Iran negotiating team said that the US has agreed to “exempt” Iran’s oil sanctions during the negotiations, meaning that the US will temporarily suspend the sanctions.
Another senior Iranian official revealed that the US has agreed to unfreeze a quarter of Iran’s funds held in foreign banks, but Iran hopes to have all its assets unfrozen. Additionally, Washington has shown greater flexibility in allowing Iran to continue some peaceful nuclear activities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Compared to the US’s slightly softer stance, Iran’s attitude remains tough, warning the US and its allies not to make any strategic mistakes or misjudgments in attacking Iran.
Mujtaba’s social media account re-posted his first statement after taking office, reiterating that he will consider opening new fronts in areas where the enemy is not good at.
On the 18th, the Iranian government established a new agency, the “Persian Gulf Strait Management Bureau,” to manage the Strait of Hormuz. A social media account with the same name was also launched, claiming to be the official account and promising to provide real-time updates on the latest developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
Analysts point out that the formal announcement of this agency marks the beginning of Iran’s institutionalized control over the Strait.
On the 22nd, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement saying that in the past 24 hours, 35 ships, including oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial vessels, had passed through the Strait of Hormuz with permission and under the coordination and security guarantee of the Revolutionary Guard’s Navy.
On the other hand, the UAE is building an east-west oil pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, with the project nearly 50% complete and expected to be operational by 2027.
