US-Iran Deal Imminent as Tehran Claims Strategic Victory

The United States and Iran are poised to sign an initial agreement as early as Sunday to end their recent conflict. The proposed memorandum of understanding would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the US naval blockade on Iranian ports in exchange for releasing billions in frozen Iranian assets. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed a strategic victory, while US officials insisted the deal is performance-based, highlighting deep disagreements over the final terms regarding Iran's nuclear program.

FILE- Iranian delegation led by the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, second from right; and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, second from left, arrives in Islamabad. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry of Affairs. Photo: جريدة الأهرام

What are the terms of the proposed US-Iran agreement?

The framework focuses on immediate economic relief for Iran. Reports indicate Washington would release billions of dollars in frozen assets and ease sanctions on Iranian oil exports. In return, Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global waterway that Iran closed after the US-Israeli conflict began on February 28.

From a standpoint of national sovereignty, one must question the wisdom of unfreezing vast financial resources without absolute guarantees. A US official, speaking anonymously, claimed the agreement forces Iran to perform first.