Trump touts Iran inspection deal as Tehran disputes terms
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday insisted that Iran has agreed to “highest level” nuclear inspections even as Iranian officials disputed his claim, exposing how much remains contested even with a tentative agreement in place. “Despite their protestations and false statements to the contrary … Ir
By Dewey Sim
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday insisted that Iran has agreed to “highest level” nuclear inspections even as Iranian officials disputed his claim, exposing how much remains contested even with a tentative agreement in place.
“Despite their protestations and false statements to the contrary … Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!),” Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday morning.
“This will insure ‘Nuclear Honesty.’ If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations!”
Trump said he had agreed to keep the strategic Strait of Hormuz open based on this agreement but could reinstate the US naval blockade, even though it was “at this point, highly unlikely”.
His comments early on Tuesday came after Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations Ali Bahreini told reporters that Tehran has yet to agree to the deployment of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor its nuclear activities.
He said a working group that has yet to be convened will discuss whether inspectors will travel to Iran.
US Vice-President J.D. Vance earlier said Iran would allow the IAEA into the country but that no timetable had yet been established.
Trump also said in his social media post that the funds the US would be releasing to Iran would be used to buy food and medical supplies including corn, wheat and soybean from American farmers.
“These are things that are desperately needed by Iran. This is a humanitarian crisis, and I feel it is necessary to help, NOW, before it is too late. Talks are going well!” he said.
Under the deal, signed last week, Iran pledged not to acquire or develop nuclear weapons, with the two sides agreeing to “resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material”.
Washington would also release Iran’s frozen funds and assets, which critics of the vaguely worded agreement argued Tehran could use to rebuild its armed forces and sustain its support of militant groups such as Hezbollah.
Iranian media reported, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, that US$12 billion of its frozen funds were set to be released as part of ongoing talks with the US, which would be broken down into two instalments of US$6 billion each.
The US has yet to confirm how much Tehran will get in unfrozen funds.
Vance last week sought to frame the agreement as a victory of the US, pushing back against suggestions that Iran came out ahead in the deal.
“We have all the cards. If the Iranians want the benefits of the bargain, they have to give us the things that are necessary to get those benefits,” he said.