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President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United States intends to use a portion of Iran’s frozen assets to purchase American agricultural products for delivery to the Islamic Republic, describing the move as part of ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking at the White House, Trump expressed confidence that Iran is eager to reach an agreement with the United States while pointing to increased oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Iran wants to make a deal with us very badly. We probably will. But the Strait is open. Yesterday they took out 19 million barrels of oil, that’s the most in the history of Strait.”

Trump to Farmers: We have a new market coming up, and that's called The Lovely Country of Iran. It's a beautiful place. Would anybody like to go there? They're having a hard time with food and we're going to be taking some of their money and we'll spend it and we're going to be… pic.twitter.com/k2IUXVDZsD

— Acyn (@Acyn) June 25, 2026

The President said recent U.S. military actions had strengthened America’s negotiating position and reiterated that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains non-negotiable.

“We knocked the …. out of them, and now we’re negotiating from a position of pure strength, pure strength. They know that…but we had to do that. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump added.

Trump also claimed Iran is struggling with food shortages and said Washington plans to redirect some of Tehran’s frozen funds toward purchasing American-grown wheat, soybeans, and corn.

“We have a new market coming up, and that’s called the lovely country of Iran,” Trump said, adding, “It’s a beautiful place. Would anybody like to go there? The Islamic Republic of Iran.”

He continued by outlining what he described as a major agricultural initiative.

“They’re having a hard time with food, and we’re going to be taking some of their money and we’ll spend it, and we’re going to be buying wheat, soybeans and corn, a lot of it, and that process is going to be starting soon. It’s going to be pretty big,” he continued.

Iran quickly pushed back against Trump’s remarks. Just hours later, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who headed Tehran’s delegation during recent talks with the United States, denied that any unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to purchase American goods.

“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting. The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently the US only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks,” Ghalibaf wrote on social media.

The exchange comes as the United States and Iran continue negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent agreement after recently signing a Memorandum of Understanding that brought an end to the war between the two countries.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored that the Trump administration expects Iran to fully honor the commitments it made during negotiations in Switzerland.

“We expect them to live up to the commitments they made in Switzerland,” he told reporters. “If they don’t live up to those commitments, the President has a lot of options at his disposal, including, I’m not saying he’s going to do it, I’m saying including reversing these sanctions.”

Rubio stressed that Tehran had made clear promises during the negotiations and said the administration expects those commitments to be fulfilled.

“They’ve made very straight-up commitments in Switzerland, and the President has been very clear they need to keep those commitments.”

He also emphasized that any lasting agreement must be meaningful and enforceable.

“If we’re going to get a deal, it has to be a real deal, and it has to be a good deal,” he said. “If Iran wants to make a good and real deal, the United States is open to that. If they’re not, then, of course, the President has options.”

A day before his latest remarks, Trump cautioned that the United States could rapidly resume military operations against Iran if its leaders failed to act responsibly following the recent agreement.

“Iran has been great – IF Iran is reasonable, IF they’re smart. Otherwise, we’ll have to finish the job,” Trump said at a rally in Pennsylvania.

He added, “As you know, we just achieved a historic peace agreement with Iran to end the conflict… and most importantly, we are ensuring one thing very importantly- because this is why I did it… Iran will NEVER have a nuclear weapon, and they’ve agreed to that.”

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli police officer who was filmed kicking a chareidi protester during last week’s demonstration on Route 4 was questioned Thursday by the Department for Internal Police Investigations (Machash), as authorities continue examining allegations of excessive force during the protest.

The investigation was launched after widely circulated video footage appeared to show the officer kicking a protester who was lying on the ground during the demonstration.

The incident took place during a protest on Route 4 near Bnei Brak against the arrest of bnei yeshivah who failed to report for military service. As police moved to clear the roadway, clashes erupted between officers and demonstrators.

Several videos from the scene sparked widespread public criticism. In addition to the footage showing the officer kicking a protester, another video appeared to show Bnei Brak-Ramat Gan Police Station Commander Superintendent Yuval Shavit dragging a protester across the ground while tearing his clothing.

Shortly after the videos were made public, Israel Police announced that the officer seen kicking the protester had been immediately suspended from operational duty pending an internal review.

At the time, Police Commissioner Danny Levy stated that if the investigation determined that officers or commanders had acted contrary to police procedures, the department would not hesitate to deal with the matter severely, including suspending those involved from operational service.

Police said that during efforts to disperse the demonstration, officers encountered resistance and violence from protesters. According to the department, two police officers were injured and required medical treatment, while five demonstrators were arrested on suspicion of assaulting police officers and disturbing the peace.

Police also emphasized that any incidents found to be inconsistent with departmental regulations or the standards expected of officers would be thoroughly investigated and addressed through disciplinary proceedings.

The footage also prompted sharp criticism from chareidi political leaders. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri appealed to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, urging him to put an end to police violence against bnei Torah, while making clear that he does not support demonstrations of this nature.

With the officer now under formal investigation by Machash, the matter has moved beyond an internal disciplinary review and into a criminal investigative process. No decision has yet been announced regarding the officer, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The Trump administration took a major step toward repairing defense ties with Turkey on Thursday, formally notifying Congress that it intends to move ahead with a military sale valued at more than $700 million. The proposed agreement would provide Turkey with military aircraft propulsion systems, signaling a significant shift in U.S.-Turkish relations after years of tension.

The official notification to lawmakers followed reports that surfaced a day earlier indicating the White House was preparing to move forward with the transaction.

The proposed sale comes despite continuing objections from several members of Congress, who remain uneasy over Turkey’s decision to retain the Russian-made S-400 air defense system it purchased in 2019. Lawmakers have long argued that the system poses security risks to NATO and Western military technology.

Relations between Washington and Ankara deteriorated during President Donald Trump’s first administration after Turkey acquired the Russian S-400 missile defense system. U.S. officials maintained that the platform could potentially be used to gather intelligence on advanced Western defense capabilities.

Following that purchase, the United States imposed sanctions on Turkey’s defense procurement agency and removed Ankara from the multinational F-35 fighter jet program, ending its role in producing components for the aircraft and eliminating its opportunity to receive the stealth fighters.

More recently, however, reports have suggested that Turkey has expressed a willingness to give up the S-400 system, a move that could pave the way for its return to the F-35 program.

Thursday’s announcement was widely viewed as a symbolic gesture toward Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom President Trump has increasingly described as an important strategic ally.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump revealed that he had personally urged Erdogan not to become involved in the conflict with Iran, saying the Turkish leader agreed to stay out.

“You know, he was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran. Maybe, on Iran’s side because he’s not a big fan of Israel, as you know. And I asked him to stay out. He stayed out,” the President told reporters.

Trump continued by offering warm praise for the Turkish president, emphasizing both his patriotism and leadership.

“Erdogan loves Turkey, right? He’s doing a great job. He loves Turkey. I love the US, but he loves Turkey, and he’s doing a great job. He’s a respected man, a respected leader. He’s been a friend of mine.”

When asked whether his administration would ultimately approve Turkey’s long-sought request to acquire F-35 fighter jets, Trump suggested that such a move remains under consideration.

“I think so. He’s a member of NATO. Some people don’t consider himself, but he really is. He is a strong member of NATO. Yeah, I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy.”

{Matzav.com}