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US President Donald Trump affirmed that Iran is negotiating while on the verge of collapse, stressing that Tehran will not receive sanctions relief in exchange for giving up its highly enriched uranium stockpile, and that Tehran will be forced to give up this uranium "but not in exchange for lifting sanctions."
PBS News quoted Trump as saying that the highly enriched uranium file represents one of the basic red lines in the ongoing negotiations with Iran. In the same context, the White House announced that Trump "clearly set the red lines with Iran," while confirming that negotiations with Tehran "are going well." Trump added in new statements that Washington is "not satisfied" with the proposals that Iran is making so far within the framework of the ongoing negotiations, stressing that the two sides "have not reached an agreement yet." The US President said that Tehran "wants to reach an agreement because it has no other option," considering that the continuous US pressure has pushed Iran to "take a step back" on a number of files. Trump also compared the current pressure policy towards Iran to what his administration did previously in Venezuela, saying: "What we did in Venezuela, we are doing the same in Iran." In reference to the internal situation in Iran, Trump considered that the Iranian authorities' decision to restore internet service came because the country "became in the abyss," as he put it, after months of extensive restrictions and near-complete network outage. He added that the Iranian leadership "is betting that I want to end the war because of the midterm elections," but he stressed that he "doesn't care about that," confirming that his decisions will remain linked to what he described as "American interest and regional security."
Washington Attacks the "Iranian Draft"
The American statements came hours after Iranian official television broadcast what it described as the "initial framework" of a memorandum of understanding being negotiated between Tehran and Washington with Pakistani mediation…but the White House quickly denied the authenticity of the document, describing the Iranian report as "completely fabricated." The US presidency said via an official account on the "X" platform that "this report issued by media outlets controlled by Iran is incorrect, and the published memorandum of understanding is completely fabricated." It added: "No one should believe what is broadcast by Iranian official media…facts matter," criticizing some American media outlets for dealing with Iranian allegations.
What did the Iranian draft include?
Iranian television had spoken about a 14-point memorandum of understanding that includes lifting the naval blockade on Iran, and the withdrawal of US forces from the areas surrounding it, in addition to special arrangements for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran also mentioned that the draft stipulates Iran's commitment to returning the movement of commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within one month, while retaining its right to manage the maritime corridors in coordination with the Sultanate of Oman. The draft also indicated the possibility of converting the final agreement, if reached within 60 days, into a binding decision from the UN Security Council. But Washington implicitly denied the authenticity of these items, while no joint official announcement has yet been issued confirming the existence of a final agreement between the two parties.
Uranium and Sanctions
It seems that the highly enriched uranium file still represents one of the most prominent points of contention between the two sides, as the United States emphasizes the need for Iran to give up its current stockpile as an essential part of any understanding. American reports had spoken in recent days about pressure exerted by Washington on Tehran to agree to give up uranium enriched to 60%, in exchange for wider understandings related to stopping the war, freedom of navigation, and lifting some economic restrictions. In return, Iran is demanding practical guarantees, a gradual lifting of sanctions, and the release of frozen funds, amid the continuation of indirect negotiations through regional and international mediators.
(Al Arabiya)
