U.S. Starts the War, Allies Foot the $300 Billion Bill

[Anchor]

The ceasefire agreement between the two sides includes an Iran reconstruction fund of at least $300 billion. While Iran views this fund as compensation for war damages, the United States is effectively passing the bill for the aftermath of a war it initiated unilaterally onto its allies, including South Korea.

Park Won-gyeong reports.

[Reporter]

A draft of the memorandum of understanding on the ceasefire, released by Bloomberg, includes a clause stating that the U.S. will guarantee the mobilization of at least $300 billion for Iran's reconstruction and economic development, in cooperation with regional partner nations.

President Trump has emphasized that not a single cent of U.S. government funds will go into this $300 billion.

[Trump/U.S. President: This deal handles our requirements very well. We are paying nothing for this deal, and we have to do nothing.]

Aware of the criticism within the U.S. regarding a hasty agreement and "handouts," the administration intends to raise the funds using money from allies rather than the U.S. treasury.

[Vance/U.S. Vice President: We will encourage other nations, not the United States, to invest in Iran. This will only be possible if Iran strictly adheres to the terms of the agreement.]

Reuters, citing U.S. government officials, reported that companies in the U.S. and Asia have already agreed to provide over $150 billion in funding, with South Korean firms also being mentioned.

The intention is for the U.S.—which unilaterally started the war without prior information sharing with allies, causing a massive burden on the global economy—to shift the costs of war recovery onto Middle Eastern nations that suffered from retaliatory attacks and private companies in allied countries.

[Cho Han-bum/Senior Research Fellow, Korea Institute for National Unification: It is very unfavorable for us if we are forced to invest in projects with low profitability, or if the U.S. takes all the prime opportunities.]

The methods for raising and managing the fund are expected to be determined through negotiations over the next 60 days. Given the considerations for future entry into Iran's reconstruction market and the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the South Korean government and businesses are likely to face a difficult dilemma, as they cannot simply ignore the pressure to participate in the fund.

(Video Editing: Jo Mu-hwan)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.