Vance Says Iran Asked to Delay Release of MOU, Puts Damage at $1 Trillion

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance briefed reporters at the White House on June 18 on Iran.

Key remarks follow:

"The Iranian side asked that the contents of the agreement not be made public until Friday."

"We also wanted to release it as soon as possible. We had planned to make the signed document public immediately after both presidents signed it. This is speculation, but one reason may have been that they wanted to prepare a Persian, or Farsi, translation they considered satisfactory."

"Iran has suffered about $1 trillion in damage to its national infrastructure over the past three months. The idea that selling only a few million dollars, or $2 million, worth of oil would fundamentally change Iran's economy is not true."

"We do not know the exact amount of the frozen funds."

"We are now discussing with the Cuban government how it can change course and improve the situation. If it makes a wise decision, we will have a much better relationship with the island."

Lee Sang-eun, Washington correspondent, Hankyung, selee@hankyung.com