Middle East
07:24 AM | 24 May 2026
An upcoming US-Iranian agreement...and this is what it includes about Lebanon
Fady Mahouly
The American news site Axios revealed details about the terms of the imminent agreement between Washington and Tehran.
According to an American official, the agreement that the United States and Iran are close to signing includes extending the ceasefire for a period of 60 days, during which the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened without fees, and Iran will be allowed to sell its oil freely, while additional negotiations will take place regarding curbing its nuclear program.
This agreement would avoid escalation of the war and reduce pressure on global energy supplies. However, it remains unclear whether it will lead to a permanent peace agreement that also meets US President Donald Trump’s nuclear demands, which are also demanded by Israel.
Both Trump and the mediators indicated the possibility of announcing the agreement on Sunday, although it was not finally approved.
The American official provided a summary of the draft agreement in its current form, and while the Iranian side did not confirm these details, Tehran also indicated that an agreement was close to being reached.
What does the agreement include?
The two parties sign a memorandum of understanding extending the ceasefire for a period of 60 days, which can be extended.
During this period, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened without transit fees, and Iran will agree to remove the mines it planted in the Strait to allow ships to pass freely.
In return, the United States will lift its blockade on Iranian ports, and grant Iran some exemptions from sanctions to allow it to sell oil freely.
- Iran is committed to not seeking to possess nuclear weapons.
- Further negotiations will be held within sixty days regarding the suspension of the uranium enrichment program and the removal of Tehran’s stock of highly enriched uranium.
According to two informed sources, Iran has provided the United States, through mediators, with verbal commitments regarding the scope of concessions it will make regarding the suspension of enrichment and the abandonment of its stockpile of enriched uranium.
The United States will agree to negotiate the lifting of sanctions and the unfreezing of Iranian funds within a period of sixty days, provided that these steps are implemented only as part of a final, verifiable agreement.
- The American forces that have been mobilized in recent months will remain in the region during the sixty-day period, and will not withdraw unless a final agreement is reached.
The draft memorandum of understanding clearly stipulates an end to the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The American official said that the sooner Iran removes the mines and resumes shipping traffic, the sooner the blockade will be lifted. He explained that the basic principle adopted by Trump in the agreement is “exemption in exchange for implementation.”
Iran demanded the immediate unfreezing of funds and the permanent removal of sanctions, but the American side stressed that this would not be achieved until “tangible concessions” were made, according to the official.
In a related context, an Israeli official reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his concern about the condition for ending the war in Lebanon, during a phone call with Trump. Netanyahu also expressed concerns about “other aspects” of the agreement, according to a US official.
The official said that the agreement in Lebanon will not be “a unilateral ceasefire, and if Hezbollah tries to rearm or launch attacks, Israel will be allowed to take the necessary measures to prevent it, but if Hezbollah adheres to the rules, Israel will adhere to them.” He added: "Netanyahu has his own internal considerations, but Trump must take the interests of the United States and the global economy into account."