President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed an Iranian version of a peace deal that suggested Washington had made significant concessions to Tehran.
“The terms that Iran leaked out to the fake news have nothing to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing,” said Trump. “What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonorable people to deal with.”
Trump accused Iran of continuing to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz and warned “they better get their act together, and fast.”
A memorandum of understanding shared by Iran’s state media indicated Tehran would not relinquish its ambitions to manage the Strait of Hormuz and would demand the release of billions of dollars of frozen Iranian assets.
By contrast, the White House has described the understanding as a five-point performance-based plan.
A Trump Administration official told TIME it had been agreed that all nuclear material would be destroyed, removed and any nuclear program dismantled. The Strait of Hormuz will be reopened and Iran will not fund any terrorist groups. Crucially, Iran’s frozen assets won’t be released until the country meets certain performance metrics.
Vice President J.D. Vance remarked upon the performance-based plan as he echoed Trump’s dismissal of Iranian state media reports.
“I'm seeing a lot of fake information about a potential deal to reopen the Strait and end Iran's nuclear weapons program. First, the Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting,” he said.
Vance emphasized the deal “is structured to ensure that the U.S. and its allies' concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region.”
He argued the deal has “the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting
