Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, rejected President Donald Trump’s claim Thursday that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy U.S. agricultural products.
Ghalibaf made the statement in a post on X, saying, “America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture.”
“The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust.” — Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
“The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust,” Ghalibaf wrote. He added that the United States “only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks.”
Trump said in a Truth Social post that Iran had informed the United States it was not seeking tolls, insurance costs or other charges from ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also said no money had been given to Iran or released to Iran by the United States. He said some Iranian money controlled by the United States would be released to U.S. farmers and ranchers for purchases of corn, wheat, soybeans and other products.
The remarks deepened the public dispute over frozen Iranian assets, farm purchases and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
On Tuesday, Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said Iran alone would decide how to use assets unfrozen under a deal with the United States. Reuters reported that frozen Iranian assets worth about $12 billion were expected to be released under the initial accord.
President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have cast the Iran deal as a win for American farmers. Iranian officials have denied that required U.S. agricultural purchases are part of the agreement.
The memorandum of understanding between the two sides calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and for 60 days of negotiations. The agreement also calls for toll-free passage during that period, with Iran and Oman to define the waterway’s future administration after that.
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