Amid ongoing tensions in West Asia between the US and Iran, a preliminary draft framework for negotiations reportedly proposes transferring Tehran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile to an agreed third country or reducing its enrichment level.
The conflict between the US and Iran has kept tensions high, with the global community awaiting the restoration of stability in the region and normalisation of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The framework also proposes holding direct US-Iran negotiations in Doha instead of Istanbul. Under the proposed arrangement, Iran’s measures on the nuclear programme and maritime security would be matched by US measures to ease sanctions, blockades and economic restrictions, it added. An independent verification mechanism would assess compliance before each phase of implementation. The arrangement also proposes a dispute-resolution mechanism involving mediators and guarantor parties to address delays or violations and prevent renewed military escalation, it added. In response, Tehran targeted US and Israeli interests across the region while tightening its control over the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has fueled global concerns about regional security and energy prices. (with inputs from agencies)
The US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran on February 28, killing its then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other key leaders.
Another key proposal called for the reopening of the key waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, to international maritime traffic within seven days of an initial understanding between the two sides, according to Al Arabiya English. China could potentially act as a guarantor for the implementation and sustainability of any agreement, according to Al Arabiya English, which obtained the draft’s key points. Neither side would be required to make substantial concessions without receiving corresponding, independently verifiable commitments, the report said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Friday said three oil tankers were halted after encountering unspecified “incidents” or hitting mines while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Reuters report. “Two offending oil tankers, one in the eastern part and the other in the western part of the Strait of Hormuz, which were attempting to pass through the unauthorised route, encountered incidents and were brought to a halt in the waters south of the strait,” the IRGC said in a statement.
