Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said changes were still possible but that a draft agreement showed Iran had been strengthened by the conflict. “Iran has won the war against the United States,” he told Iranian public television.
Announced the evening before by the American president as an “excellent” agreement, the protocol was made public in broad terms on Friday by the Islamic Republic via Iranian state media, as well as by Western and Pakistani sources.
The proposed memorandum of understanding provides for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed after attacks launched by the United States and Israel in February, and the lifting of the American naval blockade, according to sources on both sides. Negotiations concerning the Iranian nuclear program will take place subsequently. Abbas Araqchi said Iran and Oman retained control of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. “Our sword will always hang over the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
15h06
War in Iran, Ukraine, trade tensions… A G7 in Évian under pressure
Iran, Ukraine…Several hot topics will be discussed during the G7 in Evian-les-Bains between June 15 and 17.
© / REUTERS
In the Savoyard resort, the summit will be held from Monday under very high security, against a backdrop of multiple international crises and a weakened world order.
>>> We explain to you
13h23
Signing of US-Iran deal expected within 24 hours, Pakistan says
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday that the United States and Iran had agreed on a framework for a peace deal that would end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with terms for a final text having been found.
Pakistan is currently preparing for an electronic signing of the text in the next 24 hours, which will be followed by technical discussions next week, added Shehbaz Sharif.
09h26
UAE would release billions of dollars to Iran, sources say
The United Arab Emirates has reportedly agreed to release billions of dollars to Iran, four sources said, in a tactical shift after weeks of Iranian attacks on the wealthy Gulf Arab state during the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic.
The announcement of the UAE’s move toward de-escalation, which had not previously been reported, coincides with the final stages of broader negotiations between Tehran and Washington on ending the war, talks that according to diplomats, could involve the release of tens of billions of dollars in Iranian oil revenues frozen in foreign banks due to American sanctions.
Over the past month, the United Arab Emirates, heavily targeted by Iran at the height of the conflict, have been spared further strikes, while Iran has aimed its missiles and drones at Kuwait and Bahrain. Iran’s last known direct attack against the United Arab Emirates dates back more than a month: a strike took place on May 4 against the port of Fujairah, in the Gulf of Oman.
Two regional sources told Reuters that the United Arab Emirates had agreed to release a total of $10 billion, of which more than $3 billion had already been paid. Two other sources with knowledge of the deal put the total amount of funds involved at $20 billion, adding that the measure was agreed in exchange for stopping Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates. Reuters could not establish whether the funds for the transfers belonged to the United Arab Emirates or came from Iranian accounts long blocked in the United Arab Emirates banking system, or elsewhere. The UAE Foreign Ministry issued a statement early Saturday morning categorically denying reports of the transfer, “including allegations of $3 billion.”
09h11
Between Iran and the United States, behind the scenes of the “Swiss channel” told by a former ambassador: “We had to remain discreet…
Swiss President Karin Keller Sutter (left) and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (right) during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York.
© / ZUMA Press Wire via Reuters Conn
Tim Guldimann, Swiss ambassador to Iran between 1999 and 2004, was one of the “postmen” between Tehran and Washington. For l’Express, he reveals the functioning of this little-known part of diplomatic history.
>>> Rediscover our interview
04h28
What the agreement between the United States and Iran would contain
According to several sources, the preliminary terms of the agreement, communicated to Reuters, indicate that the United States would begin to release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and lift sanctions on its oil exports, in exchange for Iran opening the strait.
Iran’s nuclear program will be discussed during negotiations lasting 60 days. According to a US official, the agreement will lead to the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, with the destruction and elimination of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The agreement also provides for a regime of inspections to ensure compliance with long-term commitments.
But Araqchi told state television that Iran, which some sources say has not accepted the dismantling of its nuclear program, wanted to keep the uranium in diluted form. “For Tehran, the only acceptable solution for its stock of highly enriched uranium is the dilution of this material,” he said.
The proposals include discussions on possible war reparations for Tehran and abandoning long-standing US demands to limit Iran’s ballistic missile program, according to the sources. An American official disputed this version. “Their money will only be released after results are obtained. The Strait of Hormuz will remain open. No Iranian funding of terrorist groups will be granted,” said the official, on condition of anonymity. “That’s what they agreed to. It’s an agreement conditional on their results.”
Israel, which started the war alongside the United States, did not participate in the negotiations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that his country would not be a party to the agreement. In recent weeks, Benjamin Netanyahu has clashed with Donald Trump over US demands that Israel limit its military action in Lebanon to allow Washington to reach an agreement with Tehran. Araqchi said the agreement would end the war in Lebanon, implying an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas. The Israeli defense minister said there would be no withdrawal. A senior Israeli official said Israel intended to maintain its freedom of action in the face of threats in areas under its control.
02h38
US says it shot down Iranian drones targeting ships in Strait of Hormuz
US forces shot down several Iranian unidirectional attack drones heading towards the Strait of Hormuz, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Friday, in the latest episode of a military flare-up, even as Washington and Tehran speak of progress in the peace talks. The US military says these drones targeted commercial ships crossing the strait. The source, who requested anonymity, said drones posed a threat to commercial air traffic.
President Donald Trump warned Iran earlier Friday not to fire more drones at ships trying to cross the strait, saying Tehran “better get its act together, and FAST!”
Iranian news agencies reported that explosions were heard along the strait, in the Iranian port of Sirik and on the island of Qeshm. Residents and local authorities attributed the explosions to firing by Iranian forces aimed at warning ships attempting to cross the waterway without permission from the Revolutionary Guard Navy.
Welcome to this live
Hello and welcome to this live broadcast devoted to the situation in the Middle East, where Donald Trump assured Friday that an “excellent agreement” for peace had been found.
