Iran halted preparations for a planned missile attack on Israel on Sunday night in order to give US President Donald Trump time to defuse tensions and finalise a framework agreement between Washington and Tehran, according to a report by The New York Times citing two defence officials.
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The decision came at a critical moment in negotiations between the United States and Iran, which culminated in the announcement of a framework agreement aimed at ending the conflict and paving the way for further talks. According to the report, Israeli intelligence had detected preparations for an Iranian missile strike, but learned three hours later that Tehran had suspended those plans to avoid jeopardising the diplomatic process.
Iran unveils details of US agreement
The development emerged as Iranian officials unveiled details of a draft memorandum of understanding with the United States. Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the text had been finalised, while Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said Iran's commitments under the agreement would take effect from Friday.
Iranian state media portrayed the agreement as a diplomatic victory. State television said Iran had "forced the U.S. to accept the peace deal", while Mehr News Agency reported that Tehran had secured key preconditions before entering final negotiations.
Conditions for final negotiations
According to details published by Mehr, the 14-article draft memorandum stipulates that final negotiations will not begin until half of Iran's blocked funds are released, oil sanctions are waived and the maritime blockade against Iran is lifted. The report also said that half of Iran's estimated $24 billion in blocked funds must be made available before the next round of talks can commence.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the maritime blockade against the country would end "immediately and completely" under the framework. Separately, Fars News Agency reported that maritime traffic through the Gulf would be regulated by Iran in coordination with Oman.
Missile programme excluded from talks
The draft agreement reportedly excludes Iran's missile programme and its support for regional groups aligned with Tehran from future negotiations. Mehr said issues related to Iran's ballistic missiles and support for what it termed "resistance groups" would not form part of the final talks.
Takht-Ravanchi also credited Iran's military posture for the outcome, saying the country's "military power and threats helped in finalizing the text".
Beirut strike and suspended retaliation
The reported halt to Iran's planned missile strike came shortly after Israel launched an air strike on what it described as a Hezbollah target on the outskirts of Beirut. The operation was carried out in response to a Hezbollah attack that wounded two Israeli soldiers.
According to The New York Times, Israel did not coordinate the strike with Washington and only informed the US military shortly before it began. The report said the attack risked complicating efforts to conclude the emerging US-Iran agreement, particularly as negotiations had entered their final stages.
Unresolved questions remain
The newspaper said Iran's decision to suspend its planned retaliation allowed Trump to continue efforts to secure the agreement despite the escalation in Lebanon. The framework deal was subsequently announced, setting the stage for further negotiations over unresolved issues, including aspects of Iran's nuclear programme.
Questions remain over the future of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium and whether Tehran will retain any capacity to enrich nuclear fuel under a final agreement. However, initial details indicate that restrictions on Iran's missile arsenal and its support for regional allies are not currently part of the diplomatic framework.
