The president said, ‘When they behave properly, and when they do what’s right, we’ll let them have their money.’
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump downplayed talk of immediate sanctions relief on Iran amid ongoing negotiations to secure a lasting peace agreement with Tehran.
“We’re not talking about any easing of sanctions or giving money,” Trump said during a White House Cabinet meeting on May 27.
Rather than granting immediate relief as part of a deal, Trump indicated such financial relief would depend on continuing Iranian compliance.
“We have control of money that they claim is theirs. We‘ll keep control of that money,” he said. “When they behave properly, and when they do what’s right, we’ll let them have their money.”
Trump offered those comments after being asked whether he was considering easing sanctions and allowing Iran to export oil more freely.
The president’s sanctions remarks came four days after he announced that a memorandum of understanding to resolve the current Middle East standoff had been “largely negotiated.”
Over the weekend, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the emerging memorandum of understanding would include the end of hostilities and the end of a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. He said the memorandum of understanding would also address sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program, but indicated those issues would be addressed in later stages.
“In later stages—within 30 days, 60 days, or whatever timeframe is ultimately agreed upon—we can discuss the nuclear issue or other mutually agreed matters separately,” Baghaei said. “But at this stage, as stated, all our focus is on ending the war.”
Tehran has officially claimed its nuclear program is peaceful, but has enriched uranium up to 60 percent purity, which puts it within weeks of attaining weapons-grade nuclear material.
At his cabinet meeting, Trump dismissed talk of Iran transferring its nuclear stockpile to Russia or China, both of which are nuclear-armed states.
“I wouldn’t be comfortable with that,” the president said.
Trump has already said he prefers that Iran transfer its uranium stockpile directly to the United States, destroy it in place, or destroy it at another acceptable disposal site under the supervision of the Atomic Energy Commission.
By Ryan Morgan
