Draft of agreement between Iran and US ready reports Al Arabiya; Marco Rubio indicates 'progress' in deal with Tehran
Tehran, May 22
In what is likely to bring relief to the world, Al Arabiya on Friday reported that a final draft of a possible agreement between the United States and Iran could be announced within hours. Al Arabiya cited sources aware of the matter.
According to the Al Arabiya sources, the proposed agreement includes an immediate, comprehensive and unconditional ceasefire across land, sea and air domains.
The draft agreement also reportedly includes a mutual commitment by both sides not to target military, civilian or economic infrastructure, along with an end to military operations and media hostilities.
Sources cited by Al Arabiya said the proposed framework emphasises respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs. The agreement is also expected to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
According to the sources, the draft proposes the establishment of a joint mechanism to monitor implementation of the agreement and resolve disputes between the parties. It further states that negotiations on outstanding issues would begin within seven days of the agreement taking effect, Al Arabiya reported.
The proposed deal also reportedly provides for the gradual lifting of US sanctions in exchange for Iran's commitment to the terms outlined in the agreement. The draft reportedly reaffirms adherence to international law and the United Nations Charter.
Al Arabiya's sources further said the agreement would come into effect immediately after its official announcement by both Washington and Tehran.
An indication of the possible thaw in the heat between the US and Iran came on Friday morning when Pakistan Interion Minister Mohsin Naqvi extended his stay in Tehran and held a second meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Syed Araghchi. There is a possibility that Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir could also travel to Iran when the two sides are ready to make a formal announcement.
A second intimation of a possible team came from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who in Sweden at a NATO news conference said that "there's been some slight progress" towards a deal with Iran .
However the agreement terms on Iran's nuclear programme are yet to be known. US President Donald Trump remains adamant to neutralise Iran's nuclear capabilities. Earlier, he told reporters, "We will get it. We don't need it, we don't want it. We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it."
Iran is believed to possess around 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium, considered sufficient for potential weapons development if further refined. Retrieving or neutralising the stockpile remains a central objective of Trump's military and diplomatic strategy towards Tehran.
Both the US and Israel view Iran's nuclear program as a threat to themselves. Israel has always advocated against it in all global forums, citing the cultural and religious differences as the cause of the animosity.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I've been following this for years. The ceasefire part sounds promising, but Trump's comment about "destroying" Iran's nuclear program is alarming. The US needs to understand that Iran won't give up its sovereignty easily. This whole thing feels fragile.
Interesting how Pakistan is playing mediator. Naqvi and possibly General Munir's involvement shows they want a role in regional stability. From our perspective, any reduction in tensions is good for trade and the Chabahar port project. Just hope the deal doesn't collapse like previous ones 🙏
I'm skeptical. We've seen this movie before - Iran gets some sanctions relief, then breaks promises. The US and Israel have every right to be worried about that 900 pounds of enriched uranium. A ceasefire is nice but without verifiable nuclear dismantlement, this is just kicking the can down the road.
As someone whose family has connections in the Gulf, I welcome any ceasefire. But I worry about the "media hostilities" clause - does that mean Iran stops its anti-Israel rhetoric? And will the US stop demonizing Iran? True peace needs both sides to be honest. The India angle - our oil imports, our workers in UAE - makes this very personal.
Good to see diplomacy winning over bombs for once. But the big question is: will Trump actually follow through? He's unpredictable. The joint monitoring mechanism sounds sensible - we need that in our neighborhood too. Let's hope the Strait of Hormuz remains open for global trade 🤞
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.