An informed source told Tasnim that various disagreements between Iran and the United States over different provisions of the memorandum of understanding continued until the final minutes leading up to its announcement.
The source outlined some of the changes introduced during the final one to two days and in the hours immediately preceding the announcement of the memorandum as follows:
1. The addition of the phrase “guaranteeing the sovereignty and respect for the territorial integrity of Lebanon” to Article One of the memorandum; (US President Donald Trump had not accepted the inclusion of this phrase in earlier drafts).
2. The addition of the phrase “administration of maritime navigation services in the Strait of Hormuz” by Iran and Oman to Article 5 of the memorandum;
3. Exempting vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz from paying fees for a period of 60 days; (Iran intends to begin charging ships for services after that period).
The source also emphasized that Trump had insisted that immediately after the announcement of the understanding, the Strait of Hormuz should open and the blockade should end simultaneously; however, Iran did not accept this proposal, and it was agreed that the process of reopening the Strait of Hormuz would begin after the signing of the memorandum on Friday.
The source added that Trump initially announced in a social media post that the Strait of Hormuz and the blockade had been opened simultaneously, but following Iran’s objection conveyed through the Pakistani mediator, Trump revised his post and wrote that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened after Friday.