Iran Unfrozen Assets: Qalibaf Rejects US Spending Claims

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf shot down US claims on Thursday that Tehran’s unfrozen assets would go toward buying American goods.

He didn’t hold back. “The US only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks,” Qalibaf wrote on X.

What The US Is Saying

The denial comes after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent backed President Trump’s earlier claims on Wednesday. Bessent insisted a large chunk of Iran’s unfrozen funds would end up buying US food and medicine.

Iran isn’t buying that narrative. Tehran maintains it alone decides how the money gets spent, not Washington.

The Bigger Picture

The clash highlights ongoing friction between the two countries even as financial channels reopen. Iran wants control over its own funds. The US wants credit for shaping how that money flows. Neither side is backing down yet.