U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is "currently discussing tariffs and sanctions relief with Iran and will continue to do so."
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump wrote that he would "work with Iran to dig up and remove all deeply buried nuclear debris." The statement comes amid a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran and a deal on passage through the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting the U.S. will negotiate with Iran to eliminate highly enriched uranium. Given Trump's previous references to tariffs as a form of fee that benefits the United States, the post also appears to indicate discussions on receiving some form of payment from Iran while easing sanctions. Market observers speculate the U.S. may implement a plan to oversee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and collect transit fees.
Regarding areas where highly enriched uranium is buried, Trump claimed "this area has been under very precise satellite surveillance now and in the past," adding that "many of the 15 items have already been agreed upon." The 15 items refer to ceasefire conditions the U.S. recently presented to Iran.
In a separate post, Trump wrote that he would "immediately impose tariffs on countries supplying military weapons to Iran," stating that "50% will be immediately imposed on all products coming to America with no exceptions." However, analysts say the U.S. lacks the means to implement this. While reciprocal tariffs were one available tool, the Supreme Court ruled them unlawful. Other options such as Section 301 of the Trade Act and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act all require preliminary investigations over a certain period.