Iranian Official Details Economic Dimensions of Talks with U.S.
WANA (Feb 15) – Hamid Ghanbari, Iran’s Deputy for Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has disclosed new details about the ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington, emphasizing that the talks incorporate a range of high-yield economic sectors designed to ensure mutual benefit and long-term stability.
Speaking at a session hosted by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Ghanbari said shared interests in oil and gas, joint energy fields, mineral investments, and even aircraft purchases have been embedded in the negotiation framework.
Focus on Mutual Economic Gains
Referring to the previous nuclear agreement — widely understood as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — Ghanbari noted that the United States did not secure significant economic benefits from that arrangement. He argued that for any new agreement to prove durable, Washington must also be positioned to gain tangible and rapid economic returns.
“This time,” he stressed, “for an agreement to be sustainable, it is essential that the United States be able to benefit in sectors with high and fast economic returns.”
According to Ghanbari, proposed areas of cooperation were selected based on their relatively low domestic sensitivity within Iran. These include:
- Oil and gas development
- Joint energy fields
- Rapid-return mineral investments
- Urban development projects
- Commercial aircraft purchases
Addressing Frozen Assets
Ghanbari also addressed the issue of Iran’s restricted or frozen financial resources abroad, confirming that the matter constitutes a key component of the negotiations.
He emphasized that any unfreezing of assets must be “real and usable,” rather than symbolic or temporary. The release of funds, he explained, could occur either in phased steps or as a one-time action.
In a notable proposal, Ghanbari suggested that Iran could even place certain debts as collateral to ensure that asset releases are genuinely accessible and operational.
Negotiations Continue Amid Domestic Readiness
While underscoring that the talks are being pursued with the objective of reaching a serious agreement, Ghanbari cautioned against suspending routine governmental or institutional activities in anticipation of a deal.
“No domestic institution or agency should halt its normal operations under the pretext of negotiations,” he said, adding that the country must remain prepared for all possible scenarios even as diplomatic efforts continue in earnest.
The remarks offer one of the clearest public outlines to date of the economic architecture underpinning the current phase of Iran–U.S. negotiations.
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