Donald Trump has said reports of a $300,000,000,000 payout to Iran are ‘fake news put out by the Dumocrats’ in a post on Truth Social.
It was reported yesterday that one of the conditions of the US-Iran peace agreement, which would see the Strait of Hormuz finally reopen, was that the US would pay a $300 billion reconstruction fund to Iran.
The talking points, printed on White House-headed paper, said Iran will not receive any American taxpayer money for its eventual nuclear agreement, and that the country will only get financial incentives if it meets certain benchmarks.
Trump has seemingly dismissed this claim and reiterated that Iran agreed to ‘never build a nuclear weapon’.
Writing on Truth Social, he said: ‘Iran has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon! Also, the story that the U.S. is paying Iran 300 million Dollars is Fake News, put out by the Dumocrats!!! President DJT.’
Reported peace deal talking points
- Iran, Oman and Gulf states would negotiate new shipping and maritime security arrangements for the Gulf.
- Iran, the US and their allies would stop fighting across the region — including in Lebanon.
- Tehran would reaffirm its pledge never to build a nuclear weapon.
- The US and Iran would work out what happens to Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
- Both sides would open talks on Iran’s future enrichment activities and nuclear needs. Iran would maintain the ‘status quo’ of its nuclear program — which has been largely decimated — while negotiations continue.
- The US would lift its naval blockade, hold off on new sanctions and refrain from sending more troops to the region.
- Iran would guarantee safe, toll-free passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days.
- Washington would release an unspecified amount of frozen Iranian assets once the MOU takes effect. A final deal reached after the 60 days would see the US withdraw its forces within 30 days and lift all sanctions on Iran.
- It would pave the way for a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran.
- The US would allow Iran to resume oil sales through temporary sanctions waivers.
Meanwhile, Iranian outlet Tasnim News reported a source close to the negotiations had said reports about the deal were ‘inaccurate’.
‘As previously announced, the memorandum of understanding has 14 clauses, and issues related to the 14 clauses have been raised many times in the media,’ the source said.
‘The text of the memorandum of understanding will be published on Friday after signing, based on the agreement of the parties.’
The agreement was provisionally reached on Sunday after months of exchanged fire between the two nations.
According to initial reports about the deal, an agreement to halt Iran’s nuclear programme for good and determine the fate of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium would be expected to be reached within 60 days.
Iran has agreed to discuss ways to possibly ‘dilute or remove’ it, the officials said.
However, it remains unclear whether Tehran would ultimately agree to its complete removal, with hard-liners opposed to giving it up.
Both US intelligence and the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), have said that Iran closed down its nuclear weapons development programme in 2003.
But according to the IAEA, Tehran has in recent years continued enriching uranium, including to near weapons-grade.
All three of the plants where that was happening were hit in the last US strikes on Iran last June.
However, while Trump gloated that the strikes had obliterated Tehran’s nuclear facilities, IEA director general Rafael Grossi warned Iran could resume enrichment on a more limited scale within months.
Iran has not allowed the UN to inspect either of the damaged facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan since last summer’s ’12-day war’.
An IAEA report stressed it ‘cannot verify whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities’, or the ‘size of Iran’s uranium stockpile at the affected nuclear facilities’.
The report stressed that the ‘loss of continuity of knowledge … needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency’.
That sense of urgency has translated directly to ongoing peace discussions between Iran and the US.
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