President Donald Trump says the United States will not release frozen Iranian assets or ease sanctions until a comprehensive peace agreement is reached with Tehran, underscoring a hardline position as negotiations remain stalled.
Speaking during an interview on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” Trump rejected the idea of offering sanctions relief or access to blocked funds as part of ongoing talks. When asked whether he would unfreeze Iranian assets or lift sanctions during negotiations, the president responded, “No.”
Trump indicated that any discussion about easing economic pressure would come only after Iran demonstrates compliance with the terms of a future agreement.
“If they behave, if they do a good job, we start talking” about unfreezing assets and lifting sanctions, Trump added.
The remarks come as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran face growing challenges. Iranian officials estimate that more than $100 billion in national assets remain inaccessible because of sanctions, banking restrictions, and ongoing legal disputes.
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Tensions over those funds have become a major obstacle in negotiations. Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said discussions have reached an impasse because the Trump administration has not agreed to release $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
“The negotiations are at a deadlock, and Trump must break this deadlock,” Rezaei said. “The ball is in Trump’s court.”
At the same time, reports suggest the administration may have other plans for at least some of the frozen funds. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reportedly directed officials to calculate how much assistance U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf may need to recover from damage attributed to Iran during the recent conflict. The estimates could help determine how frozen Iranian assets might be used in future recovery efforts.
Despite the disagreement over sanctions and blocked funds, Trump expressed optimism about the broader negotiations. He said U.S. and Iranian officials are “very close” to reaching an agreement and suggested that Iran has already accepted key restrictions related to nuclear weapons.
According to the president, one unresolved issue involves expanding the language of the proposed agreement. Trump said a draft provision prevents Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but he wants additional restrictions that would also prohibit Tehran from obtaining such weapons through purchase or acquisition.
“We had a clause in there that we will not develop nuclear weapons,” Trump said. “And everybody was very happy with it except me. And I said, ‘Well, what happens if they, not develop, but they go out and purchase, they acquire?’”
“I want to put the word, if they buy or purchase or acquire … You’ve got to have that in there too because that’s not developing,” he continued. “So, they don’t have the right to develop or purchase, acquire or buy.”
The president also delivered a stark warning about the consequences of a failed agreement. While emphasizing that negotiations are ongoing, he said military action remains an option if diplomacy does not produce results soon.
“I think that we’ll either have something done fairly quickly, or we’ll finish it out militarily,” he noted.
The comments highlight the high stakes surrounding the talks, which could shape future U.S.-Iran relations, sanctions policy, regional security, and efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation across the Middle East.
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