Washington: President Donald Trump will approve an Iran peace deal only if it meets U.S. conditions, a White House official told AFP, while Tehran said no final agreement had been reached.
Trump held a two-hour Situation Room meeting on Friday. He did not reach a final decision. The White House official said Trump would accept only a deal that served U.S. interests and met his “red lines.” The official said Iran could never possess a nuclear weapon.
Trump had earlier said Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He also said Tehran must remove mines from the key shipping route.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejected the U.S. demands’ language. He told state media that exchanges were continuing.
Baqaei said “no final agreement” had been reached. Iranian state media also disputed parts of Trump’s account.
Iran’s Fars News Agency said Tehran wanted the release of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets before the next phase of talks.
Trump said no money would change hands “until further notice.” He also said Iran’s enriched uranium would be removed and destroyed.
Read: Trump Iran Deal Decision Nears As Hormuz Blockade Lifts
Iranian state TV said 24 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours. It said the movement was coordinated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the foreign ministry.
The Associated Press reported that Trump had not decided whether to proceed with a tentative deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The Guardian also reported that Iranian officials disputed Trump’s claim that a deal was near.
