Iran’s foreign ministry says ‘deep mistrust’ in US remains despite deal

DETAILS UNCLEAR

Key details on issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remain unclear.

Vice President JD Vance said on Monday that the US expects Iran will not charge tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but that the issue would be discussed as part of the new peace deal.

“Our expectation is that the strait is going to be opened in a toll-free way for the long term, and that’s the sort of thing that we’re going to figure out in these technical negotiations,” he told CNBC.

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the deal would allow it to charge maritime service fees on ships transiting the strait, rather than imposing tolls.

“We have always maintained that we do not seek to collect transit tolls, but fees for navigation services, environmental protection, ship insurance and other necessary services will be charged,” Baqaei said.

He also said the US must ensure that Israel commits to stopping the war in Lebanon under the framework deal.

Lebanon was dragged into the Middle East war in early March when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, prompting Israeli strikes and a ground invasion.

Baqaei said “the US must honour its commitments. It must ensure that the Zionist regime also respects its own regarding Lebanon”.

He added that Tehran “neither trusts Israel nor the US”.

Israel’s defence minister has said his country’s military would not withdraw from security zones in southern Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, and that it would retaliate if Iran attacked Israel due to events in Lebanon.