Trump: 'I will do what I have to do' if Iran does not stick to deal

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned that he would take action if Iran fails to comply with its agreement with Washington.

“If Iran doesn't live up to their agreement, or if they're not behaving, I will do what I have to do,” Trump told reporters.

Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed an interim agreement last week, more than three months after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Tehran responded with strikes against Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said Iran was expected to use the funds being unfrozen under the agreement to purchase food exclusively from the United States.

“All that money's coming back in the form of purchases of food which they desperately need. They have 91 million people, they can't feed them. So, the money that we lift is going to go to our farmers,” Trump said.

However, Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency cited Iranian Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati as saying that Tehran is not obligated under the current memorandum of understanding to buy agricultural products from the United States.

According to Hemmati, the remaining frozen funds will not necessarily be used only for essential goods and may also be spent on other non-sanctioned products.

The conflict involving Iran, Israel, and U.S. forces has had significant humanitarian and economic consequences. U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, along with Israeli military operations in Lebanon, have killed thousands of people and displaced millions. The fighting has also disrupted global markets and contributed to higher oil prices worldwide.

Reuters contributed to this report. -Reporting by Nandita Bose and Kanishka Singh in Washington and Menna Alaa El Din; editing by Michelle Nichols/Reuters