WASHINGTON: A US-based website has claimed that Iran privately warned US Vice President JD Vance before negotiations that President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were using their access to the talks for financial gain.
According to the report, Iranian officials raised the issue during negotiations held in Switzerland last month, arguing that the presence of Witkoff and Kushner would prevent a lasting agreement because they were allegedly more interested in benefiting from financial markets than securing a diplomatic deal.
The website claimed the value of the alleged market manipulation had reached $9 billion by June.
The Trump administration has rejected the allegations. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly dismissed the report as Iranian propaganda.
The report also claimed that Iranian officials objected to Witkoff and Kushner keeping Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed about key developments during the negotiations. Citing another US media report, it said the two officials were in near-daily contact with Netanyahu and the head of Mossad throughout the talks.
According to the website, Iran had also submitted written evidence through mediators before the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Islamabad, alleging that individuals close to President Trump were engaging in financial misconduct in global markets.
Sources close to Vice President Vance reportedly confirmed that Iranian officials had openly expressed objections to Witkoff and Kushner’s participation in the negotiations.
The report further said Iranian officials believed Witkoff lacked diplomatic experience and had misrepresented Tehran’s position on key issues, including uranium enrichment, to President Trump. Iran also reportedly sought a larger US negotiating team for future talks.
