Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi went on Iranian TV last night and declared victory over the US and Israel, adding that a signed agreement was now needed to consolidate that victory, reported Tasnim News. “Iran has been the winner of this war, and the people of Iran are the true winners of this arena,” he stated.
Diplomatic efforts aimed at reinforcing the triumph, he added, were now in their final stages and were based on a 14-point memorandum of understanding that has been discussed in the media. He stressed that the document was still subject to change until final approval and that its details would be announced after completion.
Araghchi noted that there are two stages to the process, the 14-point MOU and a second phase of about 60 days. In the second phase, negotiations would also focus on removal of the US’s illegal sanctions, the official added. But he expressed continuing distrust in the U.S.: “We are not dealing with parties that are fully committed to their obligations. They take advantage of every opportunity to break their promises,” he said. “It is we who must close off the avenues for reneging on commitments, and we must have the capability, by relying on our own strength, not to allow such breaches of commitments to occur.”
According to Reuters, the draft MOU calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, sources on all sides of the talks said. Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program—U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated rationale for starting the war—would take place afterward. As for the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi said in last night’s TV interview that Iran would, along with Oman, retain control of traffic through the Strait, which before the war handled one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply. “Our sword will always hang over the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
