Iran envoy says asset-use plan involving US crops is unconfirmed
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said on Tuesday he could not confirm US Vice President JD Vance’s statement that any funds from unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy American corn, soy and wheat.
Vance had earlier said any future unfreezing of Iranian assets would be subject to US and Qatari approval and that the money would be used to buy American agricultural goods “for the benefit of the Iranian people.”
"If Iranian assets are ever unfrozen, they're going to go to make American farmers richer and to feed the Iranian people. That's a very, very good and very classic Trump deal," the US vice president said after Iran talks concluded in Switzerland.
He said the money would be used to buy American soy, corn and wheat “for the benefit of the Iranian people.”
Iran said on Tuesday it had no plan for UN nuclear inspectors to visit sites damaged in US and Israeli strikes, rejecting Vice President JD Vance’s statement that discussions on their return could begin as soon as Monday.
"Neither have we had a meeting with the director general of the IAEA, nor is there a plan for agency inspections of Iran's damaged nuclear facilities," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghai told a news conference.
"There is no protocol for this issue," he said.
Vance said on Monday that talks in Switzerland between US and Iranian officials had laid a "very good foundation" for a final agreement to end the war.
Asked when International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors could return, he said the process would start "at a minimum this week" and that conversations with the agency "could happen as soon as today."
President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran "will agree to have Major Weapons Inspections."
Iran suspended IAEA access to sites hit during last summer’s 12-day war. The UN nuclear watchdog later withdrew its remaining inspectors from the country.
Baghaei also rejected the idea that Iran had agreed to use frozen funds to buy US agricultural goods, after Vance said the issue had come up in the talks.
Vance said the US had asked Qatar to help set up a mechanism to direct the money.
"We could ensure that the money goes where we want it to go," Vance said. "That will obviously be a big part of the negotiation in the days to come."
He said the arrangement would help "American farmers" and the people of Iran, but added that the funds would not be released unless Washington saw further progress.
Baghaei said Iran would decide how to use its assets based on national interests and needs.
"Any decision will be made based on the interests and welfare of the country," he said.
He said Iran’s agriculture ministry and other bodies would decide on purchases based on price and quality.
Missiles outside talks
Baghaei said Iran’s missile and defense capabilities were not part of the negotiations and would not be discussed.
"Iran's defensive and missile capabilities have absolutely not been part of our talks and will never be a subject of negotiation with any party," he said.
He said Iran and the US had no direct contact after the four-party meeting in Switzerland stopped, and that messages continued through mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
"After the decision to stop the four-party negotiations, we had no direct contact with the American side," Baghaei said.
He said the sides had not held detailed talks on nuclear issues in Switzerland.
"Apart from the general presentation of positions by the American side, no detailed discussion on the nuclear issue took place," he said.
The US Treasury on Monday issued a 60-day license allowing Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil and petrochemicals, with related banking, insurance and transport services.
Baghaei said the oil-sale authorization had taken effect and Iran could use released or previously blocked assets to buy goods it needed.
"What is important for us is access to assets that have been unjustly blocked," he said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the waiver was linked to Iranian commitments to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and allow IAEA inspectors back into the country.
Lebanon mechanism
Baghai said Iran, the US, Qatar, Pakistan and Lebanon had agreed in principle to a mechanism to oversee the ceasefire in Lebanon and prevent further clashes.
"The details of this mechanism require further examination and work," he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Lebanon would be the first "real test" of the agreement.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said on Tuesday that Lebanon was an “unquestionable” part of the memorandum of understanding with the US and that it included the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Ali Bahreini said there should be no new Israeli attacks in Lebanon, adding that there had been “some good progress” in US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland.
Bahreini described any further attack in Lebanon, including in Beirut and the south, as Iran’s red line.
He said that if Israel violated the memorandum of understanding in any form, including by attacking Hezbollah, Iran would respond.
He said technical-level talks on Monday had gone “very well” and that two working groups would be formed in the coming days on the removal of sanctions against Iran and Iranian nuclear activities.
The Iranian envoy also said five parts of the memorandum of understanding must be fully implemented before negotiations begin on Iran’s nuclear dossier and the IAEA’s role.
He added that that there had not been any discussions in Switzerland on allowing nuclear inspectors into Iran.
He said Iran would continue to negotiate as long as the United States showed readiness and a constructive approach, but argued that US President Donald Trump’s remarks had put the Swiss talks at very serious risk.
He said the Strait of Hormuz remained open without charges, but what happens after 60 days would depend on the negotiations.
The main talks on the Strait of Hormuz would be between Iran and Oman, followed by parallel discussions with the parties to the memorandum, he said.
Iran has no plan to allow IAEA inspectors to visit nuclear sites targeted during the recent conflict, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday.
Baghaei’s comments came a day after US Vice President JD Vance said Iran had agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into the country, describing it as a first step toward a broader nuclear settlement.
Baghaei added that Iran’s missile and defensive capabilities would not be subject to negotiations with any party.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said parties to the memorandum of understanding were trying to implement all its clauses before starting negotiations on the nuclear issue.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Tuesday that four-way technical talks had concluded in Switzerland and the parties agreed on arrangements and mechanisms for future negotiations.
Gharibabadi, who led Iran’s technical negotiating team, said the talks followed a high-level committee meeting on the implementation of the US memorandum of understanding, which began on Sunday and continued into early Monday.
He said future negotiations would be held under the supervision of the high-level committee, with the participation of Iranian parliament speaker and foreign minister as well as the US vice president, and the prime ministers of Pakistan and Qatar.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that Israel would not withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon as long as Iran-backed Hezbollah remained active there and the current Israeli government stayed in power.
“It simply will not happen,” Smotrich told Israeli Army Radio. “There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the security zone in Lebanon, including the Beaufort Ridge, as long as Hezbollah exists in Lebanon.”
Smotrich said Hezbollah must be dismantled, excluded from Lebanon’s government and stripped of any military ability to threaten Israel before new security arrangements could be discussed.
“Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. It must be dismantled, it must not be part of the Lebanese government, and it must not have any military force or ability to threaten the State of Israel. Only then will it be possible to discuss new security arrangements,” he said.
