An Iranian deputy foreign minister says the two-month US naval blockade on Iranian ports has been lifted ahead of the planned formal signing of a deal ending the war, AFP reports.
“The lifting of the blockade was something we had emphasised from the outset. It has now begun, and the blockade has been lifted prior to the formal signing” scheduled for Friday, says Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, according to the Iranian government’s website.
Meanwhile, a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran is currently scheduled to be signed on Friday at the Burgenstock resort in central Switzerland, the Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed to Anadolu on Tuesday.
The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) said it has been in close contact for several days with the US, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar regarding the planned signing.
“At this stage, the signing is scheduled for Friday, June 19, at Bürgenstock in the canton of Nidwalden,” FDFA spokesperson Pierre-Alain Eltschinger confirmed to Anadolu in a statement.
According to the ministry, the location was proposed by Pakistani and Qatari mediators, as well as by the US and Iran.
“Switzerland is acting as a facilitator in this process, creating the practical and diplomatic conditions necessary for this meeting to take place on Swiss territory,” Eltschinger said.
The FDFA did not disclose details about the contents of the memorandum or the planned signing ceremony.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday told reporters at the G7 meetings in France that the memorandum of understanding with Iran stated clearly that Iran would not have a nuclear weapon.