Iran Says Agreement Reached on Hormuz Transit Mechanism, Progress Made on Sanctions Relief

A spokesperson for the Iranian negotiating team with the U.S. announced on June 21 (local time) that progress had been made in negotiations held in Switzerland.

Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told Iranian state television on June 22, "We have reached an agreement (with the U.S.) to establish a mechanism regarding the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which is a significant matter."

He also stated, "We discussed the issuance of necessary permits for Iran's oil exports and the release of frozen funds, which are very important issues, and substantial progress has been made."

He explained, "The war must end on all fronts, including Lebanon," adding, "While the work of the negotiating team has concluded at this stage, working-level teams will continue to work on matters necessary for the effective implementation of the memorandum of understanding at a meeting attended by mediators tomorrow (June 23)."

He emphasized, "In order to enter negotiations for a final agreement in accordance with Article 13 of the memorandum of understanding, these conditions must first be fulfilled."

Article 13 of the previous memorandum of understanding stipulates that final negotiations can only begin once measures regarding sanctions are taken, including the end of the war on all fronts such as Lebanon, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, the resumption of Iran's passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the authorization of exports for Iranian crude oil and petrochemical products, and the release of frozen Iranian funds.

Spokesperson Baghaei also shared details about the talks, saying, "We had a very long day. The meeting began on Sunday (June 21) morning and lasted for 18 hours."

He said, "During the four-party talks, threatening remarks from the U.S. were made public, and Iran declared that it had no intention of continuing the talks under such conditions," adding, "Mediators Qatar and Pakistan tried to keep the dialogue going, but we refused."

He continued, "The position of the Iranian negotiating team is that we must hold the other side accountable and pressure them to fulfill their obligations," and added, "We expressed concerns over the other side's failure to keep their promises, and in particular, pointed out the continuous violations of the ceasefire by the Zionist regime (Israel)."

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