Iran negotiator Ghalibaf rejects claim unfrozen funds will buy US goods
The denial contradicts the US administration, which said unfrozen funds will be spent on produce from American farmers.
Iran’s parliament speaker, who also heads the country’s negotiating team in talks with the United States, has rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that Tehran’s unfrozen assets would be funnelled exclusively into purchasing American agricultural exports.
“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on social media platform X on Thursday.
“The only crop we’re harvesting is what you [the US] planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant, and homegrown.”
He added that Washington “only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talk”.
The rebukes follow Trump remarking that initial financial relief under the Pakistan-mediated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) would include $500 million in American goods.
Trump 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 said if Iranian assets are unfrozen, “they’re going to go to make American farmers richer and feed the Iranian people”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking alongside Bahraini leaders in Manama on Thursday, said the US sought a deal that did not compromise security or prosperity for itself or its regional allies.
Iranian state and semi-official media have countered the US administration’s narrative, framing the framework agreement as a strategic victory rather than a concession.
According to reports from the semi-official Mehr News Agency, Ghalibaf described the memorandum during a diplomatic visit to Baku as a “declaration of US defeat”, asserting that the text does not contain any legal clauses mandating the purchase of US commodities.
On Monday, Iran’s central bank governor said funds released under the emerging agreement with the US will not necessarily be restricted to essential goods.
Tensions over the deal’s implementation come as both sides continue to negotiate the finer details of the Iran-US MoU.
The agreement, brokered by Pakistan, began on June 18 following electronic signatures from Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
The US and Iran are disagreeing over how unfrozen Iranian assets will be spent under a recently signed agreement. The US administration says the funds will purchase American agricultural products like corn and wheat. Iran's lead negotiator rejected this characterization, stating the funds can be used more broadly. Iran's central bank governor confirmed that released assets won't be restricted to essential goods. Both countries continue negotiating the agreement's details.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
The denial contradicts the US administration, which said unfrozen funds will be spent on produce from American farmers.
Iran’s parliament speaker, who also heads the country’s negotiating team in talks with the United States, has rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that Tehran’s unfrozen assets would be funnelled exclusively into purchasing American agricultural exports.
“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on social media platform X on Thursday.
“The only crop we’re harvesting is what you [the US] planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant, and homegrown.”
He added that Washington “only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talk”.
The rebukes follow Trump remarking that initial financial relief under the Pakistan-mediated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) would include $500 million in American goods.
Trump 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 said if Iranian assets are unfrozen, “they’re going to go to make American farmers richer and feed the Iranian people”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking alongside Bahraini leaders in Manama on Thursday, said the US sought a deal that did not compromise security or prosperity for itself or its regional allies.
Iranian state and semi-official media have countered the US administration’s narrative, framing the framework agreement as a strategic victory rather than a concession.
According to reports from the semi-official Mehr News Agency, Ghalibaf described the memorandum during a diplomatic visit to Baku as a “declaration of US defeat”, asserting that the text does not contain any legal clauses mandating the purchase of US commodities.
On Monday, Iran’s central bank governor said funds released under the emerging agreement with the US will not necessarily be restricted to essential goods.
Tensions over the deal’s implementation come as both sides continue to negotiate the finer details of the Iran-US MoU.
The agreement, brokered by Pakistan, began on June 18 following electronic signatures from Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker and head of the US negotiating team, rejected claims that unfrozen funds would purchase American agricultural goods The US administration, including President Trump and VP Vance, stated that initial financial relief under the agreement would include or go toward American goods, particularly agricultural products from US farmers Iran's central bank governor said released funds would not necessarily be restricted to essential goods The Pakistan-mediated Memorandum of Understanding began June 18 following signatures from Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian Ghalibaf characterized the agreement as a 'declaration of US defeat' and asserted the text contains no legal clauses mandating US commodity purchases Iranian state and semi-official media framed the framework agreement as a strategic victory rather than a concession Ghalibaf's social media post used metaphorical language about 'organic, abundant' mistrust and accused the US of exporting 'GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talk'
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
- Iran's parliament speaker and lead US negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rejected US claims that unfrozen Iranian assets would be spent on American agricultural goods
- The US administration, including President Trump and VP Vance, stated that released funds would go toward purchasing US corn, wheat, and other American products
- Iran's central bank governor said funds under the emerging US-Iran agreement would not be restricted to essential goods, contradicting the US narrative
- The Pakistan-mediated Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran began June 18 and both sides continue negotiating implementation details
- Iranian officials framed the agreement as a strategic victory rather than a concession, with no legal clauses mandating US commodity purchases