TEHRAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The United States has for the first time accepted the principle that Iran will receive tolls and fees for providing maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in a finalized memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries on ending the war, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday.
Fars cited an informed source as saying that Iran will accept ships' passage through the waterway free of charge solely for 60 days, following which the country intends to provide security, maritime, environmental and insurance services to crossing vessels and use the revenues for its economic development.
According to the source, in the last moments of peace negotiations between Tehran and Washington, the MoU's text underwent some changes, and the sovereignty of Iran and Oman as coastal states over the Strait of Hormuz was "definitively and explicitly" stipulated in it.
The source added that the MoU states that Iran and Oman will decide on the future management of maritime services in the strait, and the principle is repeated elsewhere in the draft.
Iran, the United States and Pakistan announced early Monday the finalization of the MoU between Tehran and Washington to end the war, following weeks of negotiations, adding that it will be officially signed in Switzerland on Friday.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States. ■
