US President Donald Trump has said the United States should not unfreeze Iranian assets or ease sanctions on Tehran until a comprehensive peace agreement is secured, underscoring Washington’s hardline stance amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking at an interview with NBC and reported by Reuters, Trump argued that any sanctions relief should be conditional on concrete commitments from Tehran and linked directly to a broader peace framework.
According to Trump, releasing frozen Iranian funds or lifting economic restrictions prematurely would weaken US leverage in negotiations and reduce incentives for Iran to make meaningful concessions.
The comments come as uncertainty continues to surround negotiations involving Iran’s nuclear programme, regional security issues and maritime stability in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Trump maintained that sanctions have been one of Washington’s most effective tools in pressuring Tehran and suggested that economic restrictions should remain in place until a verifiable agreement addressing security concerns is achieved.
His remarks are likely to reinforce concerns among investors that diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran could remain slow, prolonging geopolitical risks across the Middle East.
Energy markets have been closely monitoring developments in US-Iran relations due to their potential impact on global oil supplies. Any delay in a diplomatic breakthrough could sustain concerns over crude oil exports, shipping routes and regional stability, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil trade passes.
Analysts note that the continuation of sanctions could limit Iran’s ability to increase oil exports to international markets, potentially keeping global energy prices elevated if geopolitical tensions persist.
The latest comments also highlight the stark differences that continue to exist over the sequencing of sanctions relief and diplomatic commitments, a key sticking point in previous negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
For now, Trump’s position suggests that any easing of economic restrictions on Iran would remain tied to broader political and security objectives rather than serving as an initial confidence-building measure in negotiations.
