Shafaq News- Washington/ Tehran
A draft agreement between the United States and Iran includes guarantees for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and gradual sanctions relief for Tehran, Al-Hadath reported on Friday.
Citing informed sources, the outlet added that the proposed framework also includes commitments to international law and the UN Charter, alongside a joint mechanism for monitoring and resolving disputes. Negotiations on unresolved issues would begin within seven days of an official announcement.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would discuss a joint initiative during a visit to China on May 23, with Beijing supporting Islamabad’s mediation efforts through a previously announced five-point proposal aimed at ending the conflict. The initiative, announced in March, called for an immediate ceasefire, renewed peace talks, restoration of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, protection of civilians and nonmilitary infrastructure, and broader regional stabilization efforts.
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Despite signs of progress, major disagreements remain unresolved, particularly over Iran’s uranium stockpile and Tehran’s control over Hormuz. Fars News Agency, citing sources, reported on Friday that Tehran wants to postpone discussions over the nuclear file until after the war ends, while Washington continues pushing for a comprehensive agreement covering all outstanding disputes. The United States “opposes transferring Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile to a third country” and instead insists on taking direct custody of the material, a demand Tehran has so far rejected.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had warned that Tehran’s proposed tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz also remained unacceptable.
The strait remains central to the negotiations, with roughly 20% of global oil and gas shipments passing through the waterway before the conflict erupted on February 28, according to estimates from the US Energy Information Administration and International Energy Agency. Reuters also reported that disruption to navigation through the strait contributed to sharp oil price volatility and broader supply-chain concerns, with Brent crude trading above $104 per barrel on Friday as investors monitored developments in the negotiations.
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