The process of lifting sanctions against Iran will be slow, according to Scott Bessent, head of the U.S. Treasury Department, who announced the statement during a White House briefing on May 28.
Bessent stated, “I repeat, I will not announce [the provisions of] the deal, but I would assume that this will happen very slowly.” The remarks were made in response to a question about lifting U.S. restrictive measures before issues related to Iran’s nuclear program are resolved.
U.S.-Iran negotiations have stalled because of Lebanon. Tehran demands an end to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, but they do not intend to stop in West Jerusalem.
On May 28, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Iranian administration for its control of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that the department is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
President Donald Trump said on May 27 that the United States would not ease sanctions against Iran in exchange for the transfer of enriched uranium to Tehran. He added that Iran would abandon highly enriched uranium not for the sake of easing sanctions but to “ease the burden.”
