60 Days to 'Complete End' of War: What Are the Key Issues in Main Negotiations?

[Anchor]

Even if the United States and Iran sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war, it does not mean the conflict is completely over. The two countries will then enter a 60-day period of main negotiations. This is when the core issues—such as the nuclear program desired by the U.S. and the lifting of sanctions sought by Iran—will truly begin. However, concerns remain that this could merely be a 60-day extension of a ceasefire, as the gap between their positions has yet to be bridged.

Gwak Sang-eun reports.

[Reporter]

The core contents of the MOU to be signed by the U.S. and Iran are the "immediate cessation of hostilities" and the "guarantee of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

The declaration is also expected to include statements that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons and that the U.S. will not seek a new war.

By ending the state of war in this manner, the two sides intend to negotiate complex issues over the next 60 days, with the possibility of further extensions if necessary.

Following the signing of the MOU on June 19, the biggest issue in the main negotiations will undoubtedly be Iran's nuclear program.

Although U.S. President Donald Trump has backed down from his demand to remove weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from Iran, he is pushing for strong post-agreement controls, vowing to build a solid barrier to block nuclear weapons development.

On the other hand, Iran is staking everything on defending its "nuclear sovereignty," warning that even if it dilutes its existing enriched uranium, it could restore it to higher enrichment levels if necessary.

Furthermore, Iran has drawn a line in the sand, stating that it will only begin main negotiations on issues like the nuclear program if $12 billion in frozen assets is released immediately upon the signing of the MOU. The U.S., however, has dismissed this as baseless.

This appears to be a direct clash with the U.S. principle of "action for action," which dictates that funds should be released in stages in line with Iran's denuclearization measures.

[Interview: Seong Il-kwang / Professor at Sogang University Euro-MENA Institute: There are many difficult issues, such as how to stop uranium enrichment, how to dismantle nuclear facilities, and how to inspect and monitor the dilution process. It is doubtful whether all of this can be accomplished within 60 days; time will be insufficient.]

Four hours before the announcement of the agreement, Iran disclosed the contents of the MOU, which included details not mentioned by the U.S.

These include a U.S. guarantee that Israel will not launch military operations, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from areas surrounding Iran within 30 days, and the creation of an Iranian reconstruction fund worth over $300 billion (approximately 450 trillion won).

Iran also maintains that it will only engage in main negotiations if attacks on Lebanon are halted. However, hardliners within the Israeli cabinet are resisting the withdrawal from Lebanon and opposing the agreement between the U.S. and Iran, which is becoming a variable that could shake future negotiations.

Reported by Gwak Sang-eun | Video by Bae Moon-san | Video Editing by Jo Moo-hwan | Graphics by Kim Ye-ji
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.