Nearly four months after the United States provoked war, the United States and Iran have finally confirmed that they will reach an agreement.
On June 14th, local time, U.S. President Trump posted on social media stating that the US-Iran agreement has been "completed."
On the same day, while celebrating his 80th birthday at the White House, he told The New York Times that he was grateful for the help provided by his "friends" from China and Russia during this process.
He said that China and Russia helped Americans reach an agreement with Iran, or at least prevented the disruption of the United States’ blockade by sending oil tankers or other commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, thus creating conditions for the agreement.
Trump said that China "did not send any oil tankers, nor 20 destroyers on each side, in an attempt to break the blockade imposed by the US military over the Hormuz Strait."
But Trump's harsh criticism of the attack launched by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu nearly destroyed the final agreement.
He's a really difficult person to deal with," he said when talking about Netanyahu. "To be honest, he should be grateful that we did this. Because if Iran possesses nuclear weapons, Israel won't survive two hours."
On the 14th, Trump celebrated his 80th birthday by hosting an UFC fight event at the White House. Video screenshot from the White House event.
The New York Times states that China is Iran’s largest buyer of oil. During the US-Iran war, China remained cautious and played a role in facilitating negotiations between the two countries. Like China, Russia has also been trying to position itself as a ‘diplomatic backchannel’ during the conflict.
According to reports, in recent months, Trump has regarded China as a partner and has been trying to improve relations with Moscow. Although U.S. officials have accused Russia of providing Iran with information that could be used to attack U.S. bases in the Middle East, Trump has not mentioned Russia’s “anti-American actions.”
When asked about China’s role in facilitating the US-Iran agreement, Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that since the outbreak of the conflict, China has been working towards a ceasefire and striving for peace. China has offered a Chinese solution to end the conflict and promote peace, playing an important role in furthering international consensus. This approach has been widely welcomed by regional countries and the international community.
On June 15th, Beijing time, the United States, Iran, and Pakistan, the mediator in the US-Iran negotiations, confirmed that both the US and Iran have reached a memorandum of understanding, which is scheduled to be signed in Geneva, Switzerland on the local time of the 19th.
Trump said in an interview on the 14th that according to the agreement he made with Iran, the Strait of Hormuz will be permanently open to free use. He also insisted that if Iran fails to reach a final nuclear agreement with the United States, he will resume military strikes against Tehran, or make the United States the 'guardian of the Middle East', in exchange for 20% of the region's revenue.
The Supreme National Security Council of Iran announced in the early morning of the 15th that the final text of the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States has been finalized. The maritime blockade against Iran will be lifted immediately. Once the other party fulfills its commitments under the memorandum of understanding, negotiations for the final agreement will begin.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Garrig Barbadi said on the same day that two things will happen immediately starting from the 15th: first, the war on all fronts will be permanently and immediately ended, including the Lebanese front; second, the United States will lift and terminate the maritime blockade against Iran. The commitments by Iran will come into effect after they are officially signed this Friday.
Gari Babadi said that after the ceasefire, the United States lifts its maritime blockade, and Iran's frozen assets begin to be unfrozen, both sides will enter a 60-day negotiation period to discuss the final agreement. If the other party breaches the agreement, Iran will take corresponding measures. The Iranian armed forces have been "always ready to act."
Gari Babadi said that during the 60-day final agreement negotiations, both sides will discuss nuclear issues, the lifting of U.S. sanctions against Iran, the reconstruction of Iran’s economic mechanisms, and mechanisms for verifying the commitments made by all parties. Gari Babadi also confirmed that a statement regarding the U.S.-Iran agreement will be issued soon by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. At that time, the Iranian public will be able to see the achievements and commitments of Iran. “The results we have achieved are far greater than the commitments we made.”
