The United States has denied that any money has been released to Iran in exchange for signing an interim memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Vice President JD Vance said Monday that the digitally signed memorandum of understanding, reached on June 14, does not automatically grant Tehran access to frozen assets or immediate financial benefits.
“No money has been released, and that is not going to change,” Vance said in an interview with ABC News.
Vance said the memorandum serves only as a framework for future negotiations and creates a pathway for possible sanctions relief if Iran fulfills the commitments outlined in the agreement.
He stressed that any easing of sanctions would be tied to verifiable actions by Tehran, including eliminating its stockpile of enriched uranium and accepting an international verification regime designed to ensure that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.
“If we see Iran actually taking action, for example removing its stockpile of enriched material, then sanctions relief will follow,” Vance said. “If we see Iran allowing the verification regime that we need to ensure they are not going to build a nuclear weapon, then sanctions relief will also follow.”
Vance also rejected reports claiming that Iran would immediately receive $24 billion in previously frozen assets as part of the agreement.
Speaking separately to CBS News, he said that figure “never appeared” in any document discussed between Washington and Tehran.
“We are open to discussing various issues, including the possibility of releasing assets, but the $24 billion figure simply was never part of the documents we discussed with Iran,” Vance said.
He also addressed reports citing a potential $300 billion economic recovery package for Iran, saying the amount did not represent direct financial assistance from the U.S. government.
According to Vance, the figure refers to potential investment that could come from Gulf countries to help rebuild Iran’s economy if Tehran fully complies with its obligations under a final agreement, including commitments related to its nuclear program.
The remarks were made in response to reports suggesting Iran would receive tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars as part of the understanding reached with Washington.
Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Tehran could gain access to approximately $24 billion in frozen assets during a planned 60-day negotiating period, with half of the amount allegedly becoming available before final negotiations begin.
Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, citing a draft version of the memorandum, reported that the United States and its allies would guarantee at least $300 billion in economic recovery support for Iran.
The United States and Iran are scheduled to formally sign the interim agreement in Switzerland on Friday, following the digital signing completed on Sunday. The ceremony is expected to mark the start of a new round of detailed negotiations focused on Iran’s nuclear program and the conditions for any future sanctions relief.
