US Discloses End-of-War MOU: "Iran to Waive Strait of Hormuz Tolls for Only 60 Days"

The U.S. Donald Trump administration on June 17 (local time) disclosed the full text of a 14-article Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on ending the war with Iran.

During a phone briefing on the same day, a senior Trump administration official read out the articles of the MOU, which include the termination of military operations, a permanent end to the war, the start of a 60-day negotiation period for a final agreement on Iran's nuclear program, the resumption of free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a ban on Iranian nuclear weapons, measures for handling Iran's highly enriched uranium, and the easing of sanctions against Iran.

While media outlets, including Bloomberg News, had previously obtained and published a draft of the MOU, this is the first time the Trump administration has released the full text of the agreed MOU.

Article 1 of the MOU states, "The United States and Iran declare an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and promise to refrain from mutual threats or the use of force. The final agreement will confirm the permanent end of the war on all fronts."

Article 2 reads, "The two countries will respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the future. Both sides also promise not to interfere in each other's internal affairs."

In Article 3, the two countries "promise to negotiate and complete a final agreement within a maximum of 60 days, which can be extended by mutual agreement."

Articles 4 and 5 specify measures related to the Strait of Hormuz for both sides.

The MOU states, "Upon signature, the United States will begin to lift the maritime blockade and other obstructions against Iran, fully lifting [the blockade] within 30 days and gradually restoring vessel transit to pre-war levels," adding, "The United States also agrees to withdraw its forces from the vicinity of Iran within 30 days of signing the final agreement."

It also states, "Iran will do its utmost to guarantee the two-way free transit of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz without fees for only 60 days, and civilian transit will be restored immediately," and "Iran will complete mine clearance and other technical and military measures within 30 days, and will consult with Oman and Gulf nations regarding future management and maritime services."

This is expected to spark controversy in the future, as it limits fee-free transit through the Strait of Hormuz to 60 days, potentially leaving room for the imposition of toll-like fees under the guise of management and maritime services thereafter.

The senior U.S. official said, "We expect Iran to cease any attempts to block transit through the Strait of Hormuz prior to signing [the MOU]."

Article 6 of the MOU specifies, "The United States will work with regional partners to develop a final, mutually agreed-upon plan for Iran's reconstruction and economic development, worth at least $300 billion (approximately 465.3 trillion won)."

It added, "The implementation mechanism for this plan will be completed within 60 days, and the United States will provide all licenses and waivers for related financial transactions."

Additionally, Article 7 states, "The United States promises to lift all sanctions against Iran, including UN Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and unilateral U.S. primary and secondary sanctions, in accordance with a schedule to be determined in the final agreement," and "Both sides recognize the core importance of the sanctions issue and will address it immediately in negotiations."

Article 8 of the MOU states, "Iran reaffirms that it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons," and goes on to say that the two countries "agree to resolve the issue of disposing of stockpiled enriched material through a mutually agreed mechanism in accordance with the schedule mentioned in Article 7, with the minimum method being on-site dilution under the supervision of the IAEA."

In this regard, the senior U.S. official explained during the briefing, "Iran agrees to at least dispose of its stockpiled enriched uranium through a dilution process," and "On-site dilution under IAEA supervision will be the minimum method."

Article 9 specifies, "Until the final agreement, both sides agree to maintain the status quo, and Iran will keep its nuclear program at its current state," adding, "The United States accordingly agrees not to impose new sanctions or deploy additional forces to the region during this period."

Article 10 states, "Upon signature, the U.S. Department of the Treasury will put into effect waivers allowing Iran to export crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives," and "These waivers will extend to related services, including banking, insurance, and shipping, and will remain in effect until sanctions are lifted."

Article 11 reads, "The procedures for releasing and utilizing frozen or restricted Iranian funds and assets will be mutually agreed upon during the negotiation process, and the United States will make them fully accessible," adding, "The funds may be used for payments to final beneficiaries designated by the Central Bank of Iran, and the United States will issue all necessary licenses for this purpose."

In Article 12, the United States and Iran agreed to "establish an enforcement mechanism to monitor the implementation of the MOU. The same mechanism will also track compliance with the future final agreement."

In Article 13, the two sides stated, "Once the ceasefire, naval withdrawal, Strait of Hormuz measures, oil sanctions waivers, and asset releases are underway, the two countries will begin negotiations on the remaining elements of the final agreement," adding, "This sequence is explicitly linked, in particular, to the continuous implementation of Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11."

Finally, Article 14 specifies, "The final agreement will be endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution."

Regarding the MOU signing ceremony between the two sides to be held in Switzerland on June 19, the senior U.S. official said, "It will be highly critical in gauging how negotiations with Iran will progress."

While the MOU has already been electronically signed by both sides, the official noted, "Either side can withdraw until a binding agreement is signed."

Regarding the negotiation agenda with Iran following the signing of the end-of-war MOU, he also stated, "After resolving the nuclear issue, we plan to discuss the issue of funding for [Iran's armed] proxy forces."

He added, "If a final agreement is reached and Iran behaves properly, we will allow sanctions relief."

However, the official warned, "If an agreement is not reached, President Trump will not be afraid to use the tools at his disposal," suggesting that attacks against Iran could resume if future negotiations with Iran fall through.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.