Arabic version: ترامب يرفض تجميد الأصول الإيرانية قبل اتفاق وقف إطلاق النار

United States President Donald Trump has said he will not unfreeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets prior to a lasting ceasefire agreement being reached to formally end the US-Israel war with Iran. This statement was made during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, indicating little room in the entrenched standoff over the frozen funds. According to Al Jazeera, Trump emphasized that any unfreezing of assets would come only after a deal is finalized.

Trump indicated that discussions about the unfreezing of Iranian assets would depend on Iran’s behavior, stating, “If they behave, if they do a good job, we start talking.” This position underscores the deep mistrust that has characterized US-Iran relations, particularly following the US’s military actions against Iran during ongoing negotiations about its nuclear program.

Despite Trump’s claims of being close to a deal, significant issues remain unresolved, including control of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The president reiterated his threat to escalate military actions against Iran if negotiations do not progress, saying, “We’re very close to a deal, or I’m going to blow the hell out of them.”

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have expressed skepticism about the negotiations. Mohsen Rezaee, a military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, noted that negotiations are currently at a deadlock and urged Trump to help break the impasse. Iran is seeking access to between $12 billion and $24 billion in frozen funds as part of a ceasefire agreement, proposing a plan for partial releases of funds upon signing an agreement.

The conflict, which has seen fighting largely pause since April 8, continues to be complicated by Israel’s military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which Iran opposes. Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned that retaliatory actions could follow Israeli strikes in southern Beirut, highlighting the fragile nature of the ongoing ceasefire discussions.