The memorandum of understanding being discussed reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire extension, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a plan for further negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, has reported that US intelligence believes Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei – who was injured in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war which killed his father and predecessor – is holed up in an undisclosed location, making communication with his envoys difficult and therefore delaying pace of talks with the US.
According to US media, the discussions will not immediately lead to a final settlement. Contentious issues will likely be negotiated later, including details of Iranian sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian funds, and US demands for Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions.
At the start of the war, Iran is thought to have had about 440kg (970 lbs) of uranium that was enriched up to 60% purity – a short process away from being enriched further to the weapons-grade 90%, which theoretically could allow it to create a nuclear bomb.
On Monday night, Trump said the enriched uranium would either be “immediately” turned over to the US, or “preferably, in conjunction and co-ordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place”.
US and Iranian forces have observed a ceasefire since 8 April. Iran has maintained controls on Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the US Navy has sought to blockade Iran’s ports.
The US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on 28 February, sparking conflict across the Middle East. Iran responded by attacking Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. The move sent oil prices soaring globally.
Source: BBC.com
