The US will guarantee that any release of Iranian assets will not be used to finance "terrorism", US Vice President J.D. Vance said today, quoted by Agence France-Presse, explaining that President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has proposed a monitoring mechanism, BTA reported.
The issue of Iranian assets "was not a high priority for us" during the negotiations between Tehran and Washington, but the US wanted "to introduce a mechanism that - in case we ever unfreeze Iranian assets - would guarantee that this Iranian money is for the benefit of the Iranian people and is not used to finance terrorism", J.D. Vance told reporters.
The unfreezing of Iranian assets is part of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States signed last week, according to which Iranian funds and assets that are frozen or subject to restrictions will be fully accessible and usable after the implementation of this agreement.
After the signing of the framework agreement, Washington and Tehran began talks in Switzerland yesterday, attended by Jared Kushner. The aim is to reach a final agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East, which began with the Israeli-American strikes on Iran on February 28.
J.D. Vance explained that Trump's son-in-law had proposed a “very interesting solution involving Qatar”, allowing Qatar and the United States to “have a say” in any potential release of Iranian assets.
“And this money could then be used to buy American soybeans, corn and wheat for the benefit of the Iranian people”, he assured.
Iran has been subject to decades of US sanctions that have damaged its economy and hindered Tehran's international transactions.
The country's foreign assets have been frozen since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.