In a post on his X account on Thursday, Qalibaf dismissed American assertions that Iran’s unfrozen assets would be used to purchase US agricultural products, describing the claim as misleading and politically motivated.
“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting. The only crop we're harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It's organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently the US only exports GMO (genetically modified organism) soybeans, broken promises and trash talks,” he said.
The remarks came amid renewed US statements claiming that Iran would be required to purchase agricultural goods exclusively from the United States following a recently discussed framework agreement.
However, Iran’s Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati has rejected such claims, stressing that Iran is under no obligation to buy agricultural inputs solely from the US.
Speaking to Tasnim, Hemmati said the financial framework governing the use of the “first $6 billion” tranche of unfrozen assets is based on an agreement signed between Iran and the United States in 1402 of the Iranian calendar and is intended for essential goods and medicine.
He added that Iran retains full flexibility in sourcing imports, noting that if American agricultural products are more competitive in terms of price and quality, they could still be considered alongside other suppliers.
He noted that remaining frozen assets, including additional tranches beyond the initial $6 billion, are not necessarily restricted to essential goods and could also be used for the purchase of non-sanctioned items.