The United States and Iran have unveiled a new draft peace accord. Washington would withdraw military forces from areas near Iran and lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran would restore the number of merchant vessels passing through the strait to pre-war levels within a month. The two countries agreed to finalize the deal within 60 days.
Iran's state-run television reported on June 27 (local time) that it had obtained a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire. According to the draft, the U.S. will pull back military forces from Lebanon and other areas near Iran and lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, in turn, will restore merchant shipping through the strait to pre-war levels within a month. Warships are excluded.
Iran and Oman will jointly manage vessel traffic and shipping lane operations. However, it has yet to be determined whether the withdrawal applies only to forces additionally deployed during the war or extends to existing troops stationed at U.S. military bases across the Middle East. Iranian TV said, "If a final agreement is reached within 60 days, it will be endorsed as a binding resolution by the United Nations Security Council," adding that "the framework of the MOU is not yet final, and Iran will take no action without specific verification."
Iranian lawmaker Mohsen Zanganeh said Iran and the U.S. are discussing details such as limits on uranium enrichment levels rather than the principle of enrichment itself. "We are only discussing details such as enrichment rates, not the principle of enrichment," he said. "The U.S. position is that enrichment rates must be capped." He added that negotiations are being conducted in close coordination with Iran's Supreme Leader and that the Islamic Republic could celebrate its victory at Eid al-Adha, the largest Islamic holiday, in early next month.
The same day, starting at 11 a.m. Eastern Time, U.S. President Donald Trump held talks at the White House with senior aides on the war with Iran. Trump expressed confidence that a deal was within reach, having secured grounds to argue that Iran's nuclear capabilities had been sufficiently degraded.
But Al Jazeera analyzed that "Trump faces the risk of his war of choice ending in an unsatisfactory conclusion," noting that "the agreement defers several critical issues for later resolution, and even among his supporters there is criticism that Iranian leaders will grow bolder."
Meanwhile, Britain's The Times reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was furious after Trump pressed him to sign the "Abraham Accords" to normalize ties with Israel. The Abraham Accords are a series of U.S.-brokered agreements during Trump's first term under which the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan established diplomatic relations with Israel.
Trump reportedly proposed signing the Abraham Accords during a June 23 conference call with leaders of Saudi Arabia and other major Middle Eastern countries, alongside discussions on ending the Iran war. While maintaining a close relationship with Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been resisting pressure to normalize ties with Israel. One source said the crown prince was further "infuriated" by the call, adding that "he has said 'no' to Trump 100 times and will have to say it 100 more times."
