Just as the U.S. and Iran had barely reached an agreement, it didn't take long for the two sides to clash over details! On June 15, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, Iran stated that it would unconditionally receive $12 billion in frozen funds within the 60-day negotiation period. A senior U.S. official denied this claim, asserting: "This is completely untrue." The agreement is performance-based—only after Iran fulfills its commitments will the frozen funds be unfrozen.
Evidently, despite having finally agreed on broad principles, the two sides quickly ran into disagreements over specifics. Naturally, whether to unfreeze Iran's funds remains the most intense arena of U.S.-Iranian rivalry. From Iran’s perspective, it urgently needs access to overseas frozen foreign exchange reserves to ease domestic economic and social pressures, thus pushing hard for receiving funds upfront before fulfilling its obligations in negotiations. However, the United States has different intentions. For years, unilateral U.S. sanctions have frozen hundreds of billions of dollars in Iranian overseas assets—funds crucial to Iran’s fiscal stability.
For the United States, these frozen Iranian assets serve as a strategic card—capable of being tightened or loosened at any time, giving Washington significant leverage. The swift denial from the U.S. reflects not only a desire to avoid appearing weak toward Iran but also a clear message to keep Iran in check. The truth is plain: trust between the U.S. and Iran is extremely fragile. Both sides hope the other will compromise, yet neither fully trusts how the other will fulfill their promises. Clearly, unless both sides settle the details thoroughly, there’s a risk that the U.S.-Iran issue could face new uncertainties.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868030057299209/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.