Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi announced yesterday that the United States has lifted its two-month naval blockade of Iranian ports ahead of the signing of an agreement between the two countries aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
Takht-Ravanchi, quoted by the Iranian government’s website, said: “Lifting the blockade was something we insisted on from the very beginning. It has now started, and the blockade was lifted before the official signing.”
The agreement is scheduled to take place on Friday in central Switzerland.
The announcement came as Iranian state media reported that several Iranian vessels had crossed the US-imposed maritime exclusion zone in the Gulf of Oman following the preliminary agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday, citing informed sources, that the United States would allow Iran to immediately resume the sale of oil and fuel under the memorandum of understanding reached by both sides to end the conflict.
According to the report, the provision lifting sanctions on Iranian oil sales will take effect immediately upon the signing of the agreement later this week. The measure will also cover related services, including banking, transportation and insurance, to facilitate sales operations.
US President Donald Trump said he intends to hold a Press conference to read the memorandum of understanding with Iran ‘word for word’ to ensure accurate and fair media coverage of its content.
“I won’t just publish it. I may hold a Press conference and read it to you word for word so the media covers it accurately, because it is a very important document,” he said.
Comparing the agreement to the nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama, Trump argued that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was ‘the worst agreement’ and represented a pathway to acquiring a nuclear weapon. He said the agreement reached by his administration with Iran constitutes ‘a wall against nuclear weapons’.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced yesterday that Iran and the United States will begin a new round of negotiations in Switzerland on Friday to finalise a permanent agreement, following the official entry into force of the interim accord.
&uuid=(email))