President Donald Trump told NBC's Meet the Press he will not unfreeze Iranian assets or lift sanctions until a formal peace agreement with Tehran is secured, saying any relief would come "after" a deal if Iran "behaves." He said he is not demanding Lebanon be part of a short-term arrangement and reiterated a stark warning that talks are close or military action could follow. Trump also said he might speak with Iran's supreme leader, who has been reported wounded. Administration officials say a temporary ceasefire remains despite recent U.S. strikes.
Trump: Won't Unfreeze Iranian Assets Or Lift Sanctions Until Peace Deal Is Secured
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One while flying from Joint Base Andrews to Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S., June 5, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
New Brunswick, New Jersey, June 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump told NBC News' Meet the Press he would not unfreeze Iranian assets or lift sanctions until a formal peace agreement with Tehran is reached.
Trump said such concessions would be discussed only after an agreement was finalized. "Comes after," he said. "Yeah. If they behave, if they do a good job, we start talking. Yeah."
Not Insisting On Lebanon
He also indicated he was not insisting that Lebanon be included in any short-term arrangement with Tehran. "I think they'd like to see it, but I'm not demanding," Trump said in an interview recorded on Friday.
Pressure And A Warning
The president repeated a blunt warning about military action: "We're very close to a deal, or I'm going to blow the hell out of them," he told NBC News. The comment underscores the high-stakes mix of diplomacy and force that has marked the administration's approach.
On Iran's Leadership
Trump said he would be willing to speak directly with Iran's supreme leader, identified in reporting as Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since being reported wounded in early U.S. strikes. "I don't want to say whether or not I know where he is, but there's a good probability that I do," Trump said.
Conflict Context
The article notes that U.S. and Israeli forces began strikes on Iran on February 28, and that the Trump administration has spent weeks pursuing negotiations toward a possible peace settlement. Administration officials and allied lawmakers, including Marco Rubio, have said a temporary ceasefire has been holding despite recent U.S. strikes and described those actions as defensive.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward and Bo Erickson in Washington; Editing by Sergio Non, Tomasz Janowski and Nick Zieminski)
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