SINGAPORE – Singapore welcomes the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the United States and Iran to cease all military operations in the Middle East and establish a framework for further negotiations on outstanding issues.
The Republic also commends the efforts of the mediators that have made this possible, in particular Pakistan and Qatar, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement on June 18.
“A resolution of the outstanding issues in accordance with international law will create the necessary conditions for lasting peace, security, and stability in the region,” added the statement.
Singapore also welcomes the commitment under the MOU to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is used for international navigation and is a critical conduit for maritime trade.
“We urge all parties to uphold their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and customary international law with respect to safe and unimpeded transit passage in the Strait of Hormuz, and to protect the safety and well-being of seafarers and ships in the region,” the statement said.
US President Donald Trump has signed an interim deal to end the war with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, speeding up the timeline for the agreement to go into effect despite blowback from Republicans who said it amounted to a victory for Tehran.
The memorandum had been signed digitally on June 14 by US Vice-President J.D. Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, with Trump as a witness, according to a US official. On June 17, Trump and President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran signed it, the official added.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began the war by bombing Iran on Feb 28, arguing that it was necessary to stop the Islamic republic from building a nuclear weapon.
But the war has fallen short of its initial aims, say observers. While their forces battered Iran’s military and economy, the Islamic republic is still standing, despite Trump saying the Iranian people would be able to “take over” their government.
Tehran has also shown it can still menace the region with drones and missiles and put pressure on the White House to strike a deal by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz.
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