A senior U.S. administration official pushed back on reports that a pending peace framework between the United States and Iran would include immediate economic relief to the Iranian side.
The U.S. official said a memorandum of understanding with Tehran would enable the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all sides, including by lifting a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. The official said the framework also requires Iran to turn over highly enriched nuclear material to be destroyed on site and then taken out of the country.
The senior U.S. official dismissed reports indicating Iran could receive as much as $12 billion in economic relief immediately upon signing onto the agreement. Instead, he said, any economic relief would depend on Tehran’s adherence to the terms of the deal.
“If we see them honoring their end of the bargain, it’s going to be very good for Iran, and if we see them not honoring their end of the bargain, then they’re not going to get anything out of it,” he said.
The senior administration official raised the likelihood that the deal could be signed “over the next few days.”