Iran is seeking a return to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the United States in June, according to a CNN report, citing semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim.
According to the report, an informed source told Tasnim that Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, who visited Tehran on Monday, “was not carrying a threat or any similar message from the United States.” “Rather, he was seeking to open space for negotiations and to convey Iran’s conditions and positions to the American side,” Tasnim reported, citing the source.
The source added that a US return to the Islamabad agreement and implementation of its provisions, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz, remained central to Iran’s conditions. The conditions were conveyed to the Pakistani intermediary, who is expected to pass them on to the US, the source was cited as saying.
Munir carried a fresh US-drafted framework to Tehran during his August 23 visit, under which Washington would lift its naval blockade and ease sanctions in stages in return for Iran fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to Saudi broadcaster Al Hadath. Al Hadath separately reported that Munir spoke with US President Donald Trump by phone before travelling to Tehran.
Under the reported framework, Washington asked Tehran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and prevent retaliatory operations by allied groups in the region in exchange for lifting the naval blockade and gradually reducing sanctions. Al Arabiya separately reported, citing a source, that the United States had proposed halting the blockade and removing sanctions in return for the reopening of the strait and an end to attacks by Iran-aligned forces.
The development comes as Pakistan has again positioned itself as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran, amid renewed efforts to revive the faltering Islamabad memorandum that had underpinned the US-Iran ceasefire.