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U.S. and Iran Near First‑Stage Memorandum to Pause Fighting as Signing Date Remains Disputed

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz would be paired with a short verification window to resolve Iran’s nuclear stockpile and frozen assets.

Overview

  • Negotiators said a virtual signing could occur within 24 hours, a timetable repeated by U.S. and Pakistani officials and cited for Sunday, June 14, while Tehran publicly said the deal would not be signed that day.
  • The draft first‑stage memorandum would extend the ceasefire, lift the U.S. naval blockade and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, with Pakistan preparing electronic signature arrangements.
  • Key technical and contentious matters — control or custody of Iran’s enriched uranium, sanctions relief and frozen assets, and proxy activity — are to be deferred to a 30–60 day verification phase rather than settled in the immediate text.
  • Recent military actions have undercut trust in the pause: U.S. Central Command reported shooting down multiple Iranian one‑way attack drones headed for the strait and Israel has continued strikes in Lebanon.
  • Regional mediators led by Pakistan and Qatar are pressing to finalise the text but face domestic pushback in Iran and skepticism from U.S. lawmakers, and a successful agreement would quickly affect shipping, oil markets and civilians in the region.