President Donald Trump said the United States will not lift sanctions on Iran or release any funds to the country.
This stance signals a continuation of a hard-line approach toward Tehran, prioritizing behavioral changes over diplomatic concessions to prevent the proliferation of nuclear capabilities.
In an interview with PBS and during a U.S. cabinet meeting in Washington, D.C., Trump rejected the idea of exchanging enriched uranium for sanction relief [1]. He said that such an arrangement is unacceptable and that any future relief is contingent upon Iran's proper behavior [1].
Trump denied the possibility of financial or regulatory concessions, saying, "There will be no sanctions relief and no money to release" [1]. He said that such an event would not happen [1].
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besen provided a different perspective on the possibility of future negotiations. Besen said that the outcome depends on what the president intends to do, but emphasized that Trump will not enter into an agreement that is disadvantageous to the American people or the U.S. [2].
These statements follow mentions of Ali Bagheri, the Deputy Head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in the context of the ongoing tensions [1]. The administration continues to maintain that the burden of proof for a change in policy lies with the Iranian government [1].
“"There will be no sanctions relief and no money to release"”
The disparity between the president's absolute rejection of relief and the Treasury Secretary's conditional openness suggests a strategic 'maximum pressure' posture. By publicly ruling out concessions while keeping the door slightly ajar through the Treasury, the U.S. attempts to force Iran into a more significant behavioral shift before any formal negotiations begin.
