U.S. President Donald Trump denied on Friday that the United States has made major concessions to Iran and a senior U.S. official called an emerging pact "performance-based" with Tehran getting no frozen assets until its part of the agreement is fulfilled.
Tehran's old tricks, Trump's new blind spot © Mena Today
U.S. President Donald Trump denied on Friday that the United States has made major concessions to Iran and a senior U.S. official called an emerging pact "performance-based" with Tehran getting no frozen assets until its part of the agreement is fulfilled.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Iran's leaked comments on a deal with the United States do not represent what has been agreed to in writing.
"What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonorable people to deal with. With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith. AMAZING!," he wrote on Truth Social.
Iran's version of the deal as outlined by the IRNA news agency said the United States will release part of Iran's frozen assets immediately after the deal is signed with the remainder freed gradually during further negotiations.
It says Iran's nuclear program remains untouched.
The senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that under the agreement Iran's nuclear material "will be destroyed and removed" and its nuclear program will be dismantled.
Iran is believed to possess 900 pounds (408 kg) of highly enriched uranium.
"None of their money released until they perform. Strait of Hormuz will be open. No Iran funding of terrorist groups," the official said.
"This is what they have agreed to. This is a performance-based deal," the official said.
Trump said on Thursday he was calling off new strikes on Iran because a deal had been reached.
Terms of the deal as described on Friday by Iranian officials appear to offer Tehran much of what it has demanded so far, with Trump appearing to win little of what he has sought, beyond the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran shut after he ordered attacks in February.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Friday that the draft would waive sanctions on Iran's oil, unfreeze billions of dollars of its funds, and require a cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon.
Nuclear issues would be set aside for later talks. Washington wants a deal to ensure that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. Iran says it is not seeking one.
The waiving of sanctions, unfreezing of Iranian assets and halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanon are essential Iranian demands. The source made no mention of what Iran might offer in return.
Reporting by Steve Holland, Katharine Jackson, Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu
Hezbollah is confident that Iran will insist on Lebanon being included in a deal with the United States, a leading Hezbollah politician said on Friday, as hopes grew for an agreement between Tehran and Washington.
Hopes grew on Friday for peace between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump said a deal could be signed as soon as this weekend, even as Tehran said it had not made a final decision on a pact.
President Donald Trump on Thursday said the United States and Iran could sign a peace deal as soon as this weekend that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, but Iran countered that it had not reached a final decision on an agreement.
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