US-Iran Draft Deal Ties Hormuz Reopening to $24 Billion Assets Release
Updated
Updated · The Independent · May 27
US-Iran Draft Deal Ties Hormuz Reopening to $24 Billion Assets Release
11 articles · Updated · The Independent · May 27
$24 billion in frozen Iranian assets has emerged as Tehran’s condition for any peace deal, with parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying no agreement is final until $12 billion is transferred after an MoU.
Iranian state TV said the still-unfinalized draft framework would have US forces withdraw from around Iran and lift a naval blockade, while Tehran restores commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within one month.
Oman and Iran would manage shipping routes through the strait under the draft, which excludes military vessels and envisions a binding UN Security Council resolution if a full peace accord is reached within 60 days.
The US had not responded to the reported terms, leaving the Iranian account unverified as pressure grows after a South Korean probe said a May 4 attack on one of its cargo ships in Hormuz likely involved an Iranian missile.
As a peace deal is drafted, why is Iran simultaneously negotiating a toll system for the Strait of Hormuz?
With insurers demanding lasting peace, can a fragile MoU actually reopen the world's most critical oil chokepoint?
After its supreme leader's death, can Iran's temporary council credibly enforce a peace deal with the United States?
Strait of Hormuz Crisis 2026: U.S.-Iran Conflict, Blockade Impacts, and Diplomatic Deadlock
Overview
The U.S.-Iran standoff remains tense, with Iranian negotiators arriving in Qatar for talks as of May 27, 2026. While Iran and Washington have reached significant understandings on many issues, a final agreement is not imminent due to shifting U.S. positions and unresolved demands. Key sticking points include Iran’s highly enriched uranium program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, experts believe a deal is unlikely soon, and recent military actions threaten the fragile ceasefire. The situation is further complicated by economic pressures and the risk of renewed escalation if talks fail.