Iran's Negotiation Team Composition Signals Focus on Lifting Sanctions and Unfreezing Assets

It has been revealed that Iran’s negotiation team, which arrived in Switzerland for follow-up talks on ending the war with the U.S., is composed of high-ranking economic officials.
Analysts suggest this clearly indicates Iran's intention to focus on discussing the lifting of economic sanctions and the release of frozen assets during these talks.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S. think tank, reported on June 20 (local time) on the list of the Iranian delegation reported by Iran's Mehr News Agency, stating, "The composition of the Iranian delegation suggests an intention to discuss the economic clauses included in the post-war Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during these talks."
Mehr News Agency reported that the delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, departed for Switzerland on that day.
The agency added that the delegation includes Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as well as Abdolnaser Hemmati, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, who appeared at the U.S. post-war negotiations held in Islamabad, Pakistan, last April. Hamid Bord, Deputy Minister of Petroleum and CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company, is also included.
The ISW explained, "Iranian officials and media have emphasized the need to secure economic relief measures in the early stages of implementing the MOU."
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also emphasized in an interview with Iranian media on the same day that the reason the delegation is heading to Switzerland is "to demand the fulfillment of obligations by the other party," adding, "Negotiations for a final agreement will begin when the implementation of obligations under Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 begins."
Article 1 mentioned here refers to the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, while Articles 4 and 5 concern the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iran and a 60-day exemption from transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, respectively.
Articles 10 and 11 contain provisions for the U.S. to promise exemptions from sanctions on Iranian oil exports and economic activities, as well as the immediate release of frozen Iranian assets.
Article 13 of the post-war MOU states that final negotiations on the remaining articles will begin on the condition that Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 are implemented.
The ISW pointed out that regarding the clauses related to the end of the war and the lifting of economic sanctions, "If Iran secures these, it will almost certainly use them to rebuild its national defense capabilities and the 'Axis of Resistance'."
Furthermore, the ISW predicted that in these talks, Iran would use the re-blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage to pressure the U.S. to force Israel to halt military operations in Lebanon.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which oversees the integrated command of the Iranian military, announced in a statement on the same day, "In response to the non-compliance with Article 1 of the MOU and the Israeli regime's constant violations of agreements and failure to withdraw from southern Lebanon, we declare the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to passing vessels."
The ISW explained, "Iran calculates that it can use the Strait of Hormuz as an economic pressure tool to force the U.S. to accept its demands," adding, "Iranian officials are likely aware that the announcement of the Strait of Hormuz blockade will result in rising oil prices."  

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.