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Iran Deal Framework Advances Sanctions Rollback, Hormuz Reopening Plan, TPH Energy Says

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The US and Iran plan to sign a memorandum of understanding in Switzerland on Friday, launching a 60-day process toward a broader agreement as Brent crude drops about 5%, according to TPH Energy.

The accord would formally end the conflict and start negotiations on a final settlement. Preliminary discussions will continue before Friday, while both sides focus on the signing that triggers the agreement timeline, TPH Energy said.

The US is removing its blockade, and Iran is reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping under Iranian and Omani oversight. Shipping firms, however, continue to seek assurances that mines no longer threaten the route, according to TPH Energy.

President Donald Trump has described the reopening as a "toll-free" arrangement, though uncertainty remains over whether Iran will charge management fees, TPH Energy said.

Iranian media reports indicate that formal negotiations will begin only after Tehran confirms that Washington has ended military operations, lifted the blockade, and released about $25 billion in frozen Iranian assets, according to TPH Energy.

A senior Iranian official also indicated that the US plans to suspend oil sanctions for an unspecified period. Tehran views those steps as prerequisites before entering substantive talks on a permanent agreement, according to TPH Energy.

While the memorandum reportedly excludes Iran's ballistic missile program, negotiators are focusing on freezing nuclear activities, including limits on enrichment and the dilution of highly enriched uranium under strict international monitoring, according to TPH Energy.

Backed by Washington and regional allies, the parties could negotiate a reconstruction and economic development plan for Iran, while the US and the United Nations would lift sanctions under an agreed timetable, according to TPH Energy.

The agreement also assigns the US responsibility for preserving the Lebanon ceasefire. Recent clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, including Sunday's strike on Beirut, threatened negotiations, while Israel continues to support security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, TPH Energy said.

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