Macron says France, UK ready to help reopen Hormuz

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington was a source of pride not only for the country, but for the whole region and Iran’s regional allied groups.

"If all provisions of the memorandum of understanding (with the US) are properly implemented, it will be regarded as an honorable document for the country," Pezeshkian said on Monday.

He said more than 90 percent of Supreme National Security Council members backed the move.

US forces must withdraw from areas surrounding Iran 30 days after a final agreement is reached, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported, citing an informed source who said the requirement was included in Article 4 of the Iran-US memorandum of understanding.

According to Tasnim, the source said under Article 9 of the memorandum of understanding, no additional US forces would be deployed to the region during the 60 days of talks toward a final agreement, and Iran would not carry out nuclear activities during that period.

Tasnim cited the source as saying that under Article 9, Washington had committed not to impose new sanctions during the 60 days of final-agreement talks.

Under Article 7, if a final agreement is reached, the United States has committed to lifting primary and secondary sanctions, as well as UN Security Council sanctions and Board of Governors measures, the report said.

The source said that under Article 11, after the memorandum of understanding is signed on June 19, sanctions waivers related to the sale of oil, petrochemicals and derivatives in the areas of transport, sales, insurance and oil-sale transactions would take effect.

The source said that under Article 8, the two sides would hold talks during the 60-day negotiation period, which can be extended, on nuclear issues including enrichment and stored nuclear material.

Iran was preparing to attack Israel and suspend the signing of an agreement with the United States after an Israeli strike near Beirut threatened to derail last-minute diplomacy, The New York Times reported, citing officials.

Iran’s lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told Qatari mediators that Tehran planned to attack Israel and suspend the signing of the agreement, the report said.

President Donald Trump then intervened, urging Iran to hold back and promising that once the deal was signed, Israel would halt attacks on Lebanon, the report added.

The report said Qatar had mediated messages between Tehran and Washington during the final hours of negotiations after the strike, which Iran had treated as a red line because it targeted Lebanon.

Ghalibaf and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Geneva to sign the agreement with US Vice President JD Vance, the report added.

The United States expects the Strait of Hormuz to be open toll-free in the long term, Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with CNBC on Monday.

Vance said Washington hopes to release the text of the Iran-US memorandum of understanding this week.

He said the agreement would include a two-step verification process, but added that many details still needed to be worked out.

Asked who would represent Iran at the signing, Vance said Washington expected Iran’s parliament speaker, foreign minister and others to attend.

Vance said he expected a “full spectrum of Iranian representatives” at the Friday signing.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said Lebanon and ending the war there were an “integral part” of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington to end the war.

“The word Lebanon is used three times in the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States. Ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a completely clear phrase, and any understanding must include respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” Esmail Baghaei told reporters on Monday.

“It will become clearer later that Israel’s Sunday attack against Lebanon turned into an opportunity to secure the maximum interests of Iran, the resistance front and Lebanon,” Baghaei added.

Baghaei said a final decision on how the memorandum of understanding would be signed would be made on Monday and Tuesday.

He said visits to regional and neighboring countries were on the agenda before a meeting in Geneva.