A senior Iranian official on Thursday rebutted U.S. claims that Tehran would use its unfrozen assets to buy American farm products, saying the U.S. only exports “broken promises.”
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a key negotiator in peace talks with the U.S., rejected the provision in a blunt social media post, underscoring lingering tensions between the sides.
“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting,” he wrote. “The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently, the US only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks [sic].”
President Trump and other administration officials said the U.S., following late-stage talks in Switzerland, would release Iranian assets to help the country buy corn, wheat and soybeans and alleviate humanitarian concerns.
Likewise, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that any money the Iranians receive “is going to be used for the benefit of the Iranian people.”
He said the initial tranche of funds would be unfrozen in Qatar.
“U.S. Treasury will have people sitting in Doha overseeing that, how the money is allocated, and a very large percent of it will go to buy U.S. foodstuffs and medicines,” Mr. Bessent told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “So we will be recycling the money back into U.S. products.”
Farmers are a key political constituency for Mr. Trump, who rode heartland support in both his electoral victories.
American growers and ranchers have been hit hard by persistent price inflation, environmental problems and trade tensions stemming from Mr. Trump’s tariff program in 2025, so the president has worked to alleviate their burden.
In November, Mr. Trump said China agreed to reverse course and resume buying soybeans from American growers.
The push for Iran to buy U.S. farm products was part of the first round of late-stage peace talks between Vice President J.D. Vance and Iranian officials.
The U.S. and Iran are trying to finalize a lasting peace agreement that settles thorny issues around Iran’s nuclear program and permanently ends the Middle East conflict that started with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
Iran offered conflicting accounts of the talks earlier this week, saying it had no interest in U.S. farm goods and that it had not agreed to let U.S. inspectors see its nuclear sites.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Kuwait City on Wednesday, said inspectors must have access to Iranian sites.
“It needs to happen,” he said. “That’s a commitment they made, and it’s one they need to keep.”
Mr. Rubio said if Iran does not live up to its commitments in Switzerland, “the president has a lot of options at his disposal.”
“That includes sanctions,” he said, “and that includes other things.”
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