CNN reports a U.S. official says one of the remaining key sticking points in
U.S.–Iran negotiations is economic compensation. Iran has told mediators it
expects some form of payment promptly once parties agree a preliminary MoU,
rather than deferred disbursement. Trump administration officials fear early
unfreezing of funds would ease Iran’s economic pain and weaken Washington’s
leverage heading into a second phase to negotiate nuclear details. Trump has
told aides he wants any deal to appear tougher than the 2015 agreement and to
avoid actions that could be construed as delivering large cash payments, a
critique he directed at the Obama-era settlement.
