Evian, France, June 17 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticized the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, accusing former President Barack Obama of effectively “bribing” Tehran through a cash payment as part of the agreement.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting with the president of Egypt at the G7 Summit, Trump said the JCPOA, negotiated under the Obama administration, involved the transfer of large sums of money to Iran, including $1.7 billion in cash.
“But nobody could have made this deal. I mean, the JCPOA done by Obama, he handed them a billion seven in cash, gave them hundreds of millions of dollars, gave them billions and billions of dollars. But he gave them $1.7 billion in cash, green cash from banks, into a Boeing 757 and flew it into Iran,” Trump said.
The US president claimed Iran viewed the payment as an attempt by Washington to secure the agreement.
“They stood at the plane, I have pictures of it, like, ‘Oh my God, look at this money he’s giving us.’ He tried to bribe his way out. I didn’t do that,” Trump said.
Continuing his criticism, Trump argued that the payment failed to win Iranian goodwill and alleged that Iranian leaders mocked Obama despite the financial transfer.
“Nobody mentions that. $1.7 billion, and hundreds of millions they tried to bribe their way out of it, and you know what the Iranians did? They laughed at Obama,” Trump said.
The JCPOA, signed in 2015 between Iran and six world powers, placed restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement during his first term in 2018, calling it one of the “worst” deals ever negotiated.
Just 48 hours ahead of the signing of the crucial peace deal with Iran, Trump said the memorandum of understanding is “not final,” warning that hostilities could resume if “they don’t behave.”
Trump firmly stated that the United States would return to “dropping bombs” if he is dissatisfied with the final shape of the agreement.
Asked by reporters whether the agreement between the United States and Iran was final, Trump said, “It’s not final. It’s a memorandum of understanding, and if I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting them, dropping bombs on their heads. If I don’t like it, if they don’t behave, we’ll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head. Okay? ‘Cause they’ve misbehaved for 47 years.”
Earlier, following Trump’s announcement that the deal with Iran was “complete” and would be signed on Friday, US Vice President JD Vance said both sides had already “signed the deal digitally,” stressing that any sanctions relief for Tehran would depend on the Islamic Republic’s compliance with the agreement.
Speaking to ABC’s Good Morning America, Vance said no financial concessions had been made to Iran following the signing of the deal.
“We already signed the deal digitally yesterday, and there’s been no money released, and that won’t change,” Vance said in response to a question about whether Iran would receive sanctions relief or access to frozen assets upon signing the agreement.
The development comes after Trump on Monday dismissed reports that Washington would provide $300 million to Tehran under the newly announced peace agreement and called the reports “fake news.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated his administration’s position that the agreement with Iran would ensure that Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons.
“Iran has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon! Also, the story that the US is paying Iran $300 million is Fake News, put out by the Democrats!!!” Trump said. (ANI)
About The Author
