President Donald Trump said he will hold Iran to any agreement and said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open.
This stance comes as the U.S. seeks to secure vital shipping lanes and regional stability through negotiations that could redefine the diplomatic relationship between Washington and Tehran.
During a televised interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on June 7, 2026 [2], Trump outlined his conditions for the deal. He specified that the U.S. would not release frozen funds to the Iranian government as a gesture of good faith before a formal agreement is finalized.
"I will not unfreeze Iranian assets before a peace deal is done," Trump said [1].
The president's strategy involves a series of high-level consultations. He recently held a two-hour meeting [1] in the White House Situation Room to discuss the terms of the potential deal. These talks follow a period of daily national-security meetings held over the past two weeks [3].
Trump has presented the current terms as a foundation for a final agreement, emphasizing that the deal will guarantee the Strait of Hormuz stays open for international commerce. However, the effectiveness of these terms is a point of contention among analysts. An analysis published June 18, 2026 [4], suggested the agreement fails to achieve many of the president's stated goals.
Iran has disputed the current status of the negotiations. Iranian officials said no agreement has been finalized with the U.S. yet and said their right to manage the Strait of Hormuz [1].
Despite these contradictions, the U.S. administration continues to push for a framework that ensures the shipping lane remains unobstructed. Trump said he will do what is necessary to ensure the terms are met.
“"I will not unfreeze Iranian assets before a peace deal is done."”
The disagreement between the U.S. and Iran over whether a deal has been finalized indicates a fragile diplomatic environment. By tying the unfreezing of assets to the completion of a peace deal, the U.S. is using economic leverage to ensure compliance on security issues, specifically the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies.
