Iran negotiator Ghalibaf rejects claim unfrozen funds will buy US goods

Lead

Iran's parliament speaker and top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has publicly rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that Tehran's unfrozen assets would be funnelled exclusively into purchasing American agricultural exports. The rebuke came amid ongoing negotiations between the two countries following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last week.

Coverage Comparison

The disagreement over the use of Iran's frozen assets has become a central point of contention in the aftermath of the US-Iran talks in Switzerland. The first round of negotiations concluded on Monday, with both sides offering differing accounts of what was agreed regarding the approximately $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets.

US officials have maintained that the funds will be used to purchase American agricultural products. President Trump, speaking to Fox News, said the initial number would be around $500 million worth of US goods to be purchased for the Iranian people. He insisted that no direct cash would reach Tehran, promising the funds would instead be used to buy corn and wheat from US farmers to alleviate what he described as Iran's "hunger problem".

US Vice President JD Vance echoed this stance on Monday, saying that the US and Qatar would have control over the funds when they are unfrozen, and that the money could be spent on US corn, soy, and wheat. He added that the funds "are going to go to make American farmers richer and feed the Iranian people".

Iranian officials have strongly contested this narrative. Ghalibaf, who also heads Iran's negotiating team, wrote on social media platform X on Thursday: "America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture." He added, "The only crop we're harvesting is what you [the US] planted: decades of mistrust. It's organic, abundant, and homegrown." He further stated that Washington "only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talk".

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, also addressed the issue on Tuesday, telling reporters that Iran alone would decide what to do with its assets once they are unfrozen. "Iran is the only country to decide what to do with its assets, which are going to be defrozen, and so I reject any claim about that if there would be any role for any other country to have an influence on those decisions or on those processes," he said.

Additionally, Iran's central bank governor said on Monday that funds released under the emerging agreement with the US will not necessarily be restricted to essential goods, further complicating the US administration's claims about the use of the money.

Key Claims

• US agricultural purchases: President Trump stated that approximately $500 million in unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to purchase American goods, specifically corn and wheat, to address Iran's "hunger problem". This was reported by TASS, citing a Fox News correspondent's conversation with Trump.

• US-Qatar control over funds: Vice President JD Vance said the US and Qatar would have control over the unfrozen funds, and that the money could be spent on US corn, soy, and wheat. This claim was carried by the Jerusalem Post.

• Iranian sovereignty over assets: Iran's UN ambassador Ali Bahreini asserted that Iran alone would decide the use of its unfrozen assets, rejecting any role for other countries in those decisions. This was reported by the Jerusalem Post.

• Iranian parliamentary rejection: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rejected the US claim that unfrozen assets would be used exclusively for American agricultural purchases, describing US exports as "GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talk". This was reported by Al Jazeera.

• Release from Qatar: US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said in an interview with CNBC that the initial money would likely be released from Qatar, with Treasury officials in Doha overseeing the allocation of funds. This was reported by TASS.

• Central bank governor's statement: Iran's central bank governor said funds released under the agreement will not necessarily be restricted to essential goods, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Perspectives

United States: US officials, including President Trump and Vice President Vance, maintain that unfrozen Iranian assets will be used to purchase American agricultural products, asserting that the funds will benefit American farmers and feed the Iranian people.

Iran: Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf and UN Ambassador Bahreini, reject US claims of control or specific use of the unfrozen assets, insisting that Iran alone will decide how the funds are used.

Iranian state media: Semi-official outlets like Mehr News Agency have framed the framework agreement as a strategic victory for Iran rather than a concession, countering the US administration's narrative.