Rezaei, a military advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said on the 5th that whether the United States and Iran can reach an agreement depends on whether President Trump’s administration agrees to unfreeze $24 billion (about 96.651 billion ringgit) in Iranian assets.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, he warned that if the US resumes war, it will “fall into a dark abyss.”
He said: “Negotiations are at an impasse, and Trump must break this deadlock. The ball is now in Trump’s court.”
He stated that if the Trump administration releases the Iranian funds, it will open a new chapter for the future of both Iran and the US.
He said: “This $24 billion is a test of trust for Trump from Iran. The US must pass this test. This is our money, not America’s.”
According to media reports, Iran is demanding that immediately upon signing a temporary agreement with the US, $12 billion of Iranian funds be unfrozen, and the remaining $12 billion be unfrozen at a later stage.
In the interview, Rezaei elaborated on Iran’s internal strategic decision-making regarding the post-war national vision, the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, and how Iran might act if it is attacked again.
Restarting War Will Extend Flames Beyond the Persian Gulf
Rezaei warned that if the US rekindles war, Iran will take the conflict beyond the Persian Gulf, possibly expanding military action from the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.
He said: “We will escalate the war by attacking those other US bases we have been attacking so far.”