Dispute Erupts Over Use of Unfrozen Iranian Funds
Tehran / Washington – A public dispute has broken out between the Trump administration and the Iranian government regarding the conditions attached to the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets.
President Trump Claims Control Over Escrow
US President Donald Trump stated that Iran will be permitted to use the newly released funds solely to purchase food and medical supplies, and only from the United States.
In a post on social media, Trump claimed the billions of dollars in unlocked financing will go "into escrow, controlled by the U.S.A." He specified that the money will be used to buy American-grown products such as corn, wheat, and soybeans.
"The billions of dollars in unlocked financing will go into escrow, controlled by the U.S.A."
— President Donald Trump
Iran Rejects Restrictions
The Iranian government has directly contradicted this claim. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, stated that the funds will be used by Iran "freely, in whatever manner it deems appropriate," and will not be restricted to purchases from the US.
Details of the Frozen Assets
The funds in question total $12 billion in frozen finances. According to Iranian officials, this sum will be released in two equal instalments.