U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States will not unfreeze Iranian assets or lift economic sanctions until a comprehensive peace agreement is finalized, maintaining a hardline stance amid ongoing military conflict and tense diplomatic negotiations.

Speaking in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” recorded Friday, Trump emphasized that financial relief for Tehran remains contingent on compliance and the successful completion of a deal.

“Comes after,” Trump said regarding the lifting of sanctions. “Yeah. If they behave, if they do a good job, we start talking. Yeah.”

The Scope of the Deal

The Trump administration has been attempting to broker a peace agreement for weeks following the outbreak of hostilities on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched joint strikes against Iran. While a temporary ceasefire agreement is reportedly in place, the President issued a stark ultimatum regarding the progress of the talks.

“We’re very close to a deal, or I’m going to blow the hell out of them,” Trump told NBC News.

Despite the aggressive posture, Trump clarified that he is lowering some immediate hurdles to secure a short-term framework, noting he is not requiring neighboring Lebanon to be included in an initial pact with Tehran.

“I think they’d like to see it, but I’m not demanding,” Trump said.

Uncertainty Over Iran's Supreme Leader

In a notable shift in diplomatic rhetoric, Trump expressed a willingness to engage directly with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Khamenei has not made a public appearance since reportedly being wounded during the initial wave of U.S. airstrikes at the start of the conflict. When pressed on the Iranian leader's current status and whereabouts, Trump remained elusive but confident.

“I don’t want to say whether or not I know where he is, but there’s a good probability that I do,” Trump remarked.

A Fragile Truce

The President's comments come as top administration officials defend the current state of back-channel diplomacy.

Testifying before lawmakers last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that a temporary ceasefire agreement between the nations has largely held. When questioned about continued, sporadic American military actions in the region, Rubio characterized those operations strictly as "defensive actions" rather than a violation of the truce.

Negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days as international observers watch to see if the administration can convert the fragile ceasefire into a lasting accord.