The United States and Iran are approaching a final agreement on a one-page memorandum designed to conclude the war in the Gulf, according to a source from Pakistan, which has been mediating the negotiations. The Pakistani source confirmed that a report by the U.S. media outlet Axios regarding the proposed memorandum was accurate. The Axios report had previously cited two U.S. officials and two other sources familiar with the discussions.
"We will close this very soon. We are getting close," the Pakistani source stated. Axios reported on Wednesday that the White House believed it was nearing a one-page memorandum to end the war with Iran, following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pause a three-day-old naval mission aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The report indicated that the U.S. expected Iranian responses on several key points within the next 48 hours. The U.S. State Department and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Key Provisions of the Memorandum
According to Axios, the deal would include Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the U.S. agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz. The one-page, 14-point memorandum of understanding is being negotiated between U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and several Iranian officials, both directly and through mediators.
In its current form, the memorandum would declare an end to the war in the region and initiate a 30-day period of negotiations on a detailed agreement to open the strait, limit Iran's nuclear program, and lift U.S. sanctions. Iran's restrictions on shipping through the strait and the U.S. naval blockade of Iran would be gradually lifted during that 30-day period. One U.S. official added that if the negotiations collapse, U.S. forces would be able to restore the blockade or resume military action.
Background and Recent Developments
Earlier, Trump announced a pause to "Project Freedom," a mission announced on Sunday to guide ships through the blocked strait. The mission had failed to bring about any significant resumption of traffic through the waterway, while provoking a new wave of Iranian strikes on ships in the strait and on targets in neighboring countries. In the latest incident, a French shipping company reported on Wednesday that one of its container ships had been struck in the strait the previous day, and that injured crew had been evacuated.
In announcing the pause, Trump cited "great progress" in negotiations with Iran, without giving further details. "We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump wrote on social media.
Trump had launched the naval mission to guide ships through the strait after saying he was likely to reject Iran's latest proposal. The Iranian offer, made last week, also contained 14 points. It called for setting aside discussion of nuclear issues until after the war ended and the shipping dispute was resolved.
Iran's Stance and Diplomatic Efforts
In comments on a visit to China on Wednesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made no mention of Trump's latest remarks, but said Tehran was holding out for "a fair and comprehensive agreement." Araqchi also said in a social media post that he had spoken by phone with the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia and had stressed the importance of diplomacy among regional states to prevent escalation.
Iran has effectively shut the strait to all shipping apart from its own since the United States and Israel launched the war on February 28. In April, Washington imposed its own separate blockade of Iranian ports. Trump's Project Freedom mission to use the U.S. Navy to open the strait failed to persuade merchant ships that it was safe, while provoking new attacks from Iran, which said it was expanding the area under its control to include swathes of the coastline of the United Arab Emirates, on the strait's far side.
While the mission was in effect, Iranian drones and missiles hit several ships in and around the strait, including a South Korean cargo vessel that reported an explosion in its engine room. Tehran also repeatedly struck targets in the UAE, including the only major Emirati oil port on the coast beyond the strait, which has allowed some exports without crossing through it.
