Disputes that May Derail a Deal Between US and Iran
IRAN – Several issues remain unresolved, including the release of frozen Iranian assets, and according to Tehran on Sunday, these may derail a deal between US and Iran.
“Despite some talks held today, the US obstruction of some provisions of the understanding, including the issue of releasing Iran’s frozen assets, is still ongoing,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency said.
“These issues have not been resolved so far,” it stressed.
According to the outlet, the possibility of the understanding collapsing “still exists at present” amid ongoing disagreements between the two sides.
It said Iran has stressed that it “will not back down from its red lines in securing the rights of its people.”
Later, the agency said that Iran “is unwilling to link the issue of releasing its frozen assets to the nuclear materials issue.”
Tasnim, citing an informed source, also reported that “no final understanding has been reached so far, and that challenges remain regarding some provisions.”
It added, however, that “even if an initial understanding is reached, this does not mean Iran’s view of the US has changed or that it trusts Washington to fulfill its commitments.”
A US official was earlier quoted by the New York Times as saying that Washington and Tehran have agreed in principle to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Tehran’s commitment to dispose of its highly enriched uranium.
The official said the agreement has not yet been signed and remains subject to final approval by US President Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a process that could take several days, noting that the method for disposing of the uranium is still being negotiated.
The proposed deal does not address Iran’s missile stockpile or include a moratorium on uranium enrichment, the official said, adding these issues are expected to be handled in future rounds of talks.
Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation and was later extended by Trump indefinitely.
