The White House on Wednesday threw cold water on what appeared to be the most detailed public account yet of US-Iran negotiations, calling an Iranian state television report about a draft ceasefire deal a "complete fabrication" even as both sides are widely understood to be inching toward some kind of framework agreement.
Iran's state television had claimed that a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) under discussion envisages the withdrawal of US military forces from areas around Iran and the lifting of the naval blockade. In return, Tehran has reportedly agreed to restore commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within a month, though military vessels would remain outside the scope of any such arrangement.
