The Iranian army has denied US President Donald Trump’s claim of a possible agreement with Iran and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without any fee. Media affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) refuted his statement, calling it a mixture of truth and lies. He said Trump has distorted key elements of the draft agreement in an attempt to claim a ‘false victory’.
Media sources said Trump’s claim that Iran’s enriched uranium would be destroyed is completely baseless, and that Iran would have to open the Strait of Hormuz without any charges is nowhere in the draft agreement. The sources further said that Trump did not mention other important provisions of the draft agreement, including the release of billions of dollars of Iranian assets and a complete ceasefire in Lebanon.
What did Trump claim?
Citing reliable sources, the report said the proposed agreement, described as a commitment-for-commitment, is in the final stages of approval in Iran, although no final decision has been taken yet. Before heading to a crucial meeting at the White House on the conflict in West Asia, Trump claimed that naval sanctions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route through which about 20 percent of global oil shipments pass, have effectively ended and maritime traffic is returning to normal.
Trump wrote, Iran will immediately remove or deactivate all remaining mines, which will be very few. The ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, which are now being lifted due to our amazing and unprecedented naval blockade, can begin the process of ‘returning home’.
The US President said that no money transaction will take place until further notice. However, reiterating Tehran’s stance, Iranian media stressed that Iran’s arrangements for reopening the Strait of Hormuz could include monitoring and inspection of ships, provision of services and security measures.
He denied that Tehran had agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without tolls or conditions, and said there was no such clause in the draft. According to the report, Iran will reopen Hormuz only after the blockade is lifted and under its own arrangements, which may include surveillance, inspection, maritime services and security measures.
Fars News also rejected Trump’s claim that Iran will destroy its nuclear material. He said that informed sources have termed this claim as baseless and also said that there is no such provision in the memorandum under consideration.
The most important part of the draft is the immediate release of frozen Iranian assets worth US$12 billion, reports citing Tehran officials said. It also said that unless the funds are released, Tehran will not proceed to the next phase of talks. The report also said that according to Hezbollah’s position, a complete ceasefire in Lebanon was also a major issue of discussion.
The Iranian media outlet, citing sources linked to the IRGC, said reliable sources stressed that the memorandum of understanding does not contain any provision for Tehran to destroy its nuclear material, and described the claim as completely baseless. According to the report, Iran will move to the next phase of talks, including easing of sanctions and discussion on the nuclear issue, only if these conditions are met. It also says that any final agreement will be based on the Islamic Republic’s ‘red lines’ and its complete distrust of the US.
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