Reports say the Donald Trump administration is considering a plan to establish a privately led $300 billion (about 454 trillion won) reconstruction fund if Iran agrees to a final end of war settlement that includes nuclear talks.

The Financial Times (FT) reported on the 15th local time, citing a senior U.S. official, that the administration discussed easing sanctions on Iran along with creating a $300 billion reconstruction fund.

Citing another official, FT explained that the fund is premised on the conclusion of a final agreement contained in an end of war memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreed by Iran and the United States, and that it could move forward only after conditions such as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, an additional 60 day extension of the cease-fire, and further negotiations on a nuclear agreement are first met.

The official also said the fund would be raised by companies that wish to invest in Iran's energy industry rather than by governments. The official added that many companies in Europe, Asia including South Korea and Japan, and the United States are interested, and that if sanctions are lifted the fund would be significant in size. FT added that the specific operating method of the fund remains unclear.

Earlier, U.S. Vice President JD Vance effectively acknowledged the discussions in an interview with CBS, describing it as a fund accessible if Iran fulfills its obligations.

The Trump administration has maintained that it would not give money to Iran in return for an end of war agreement, but it has effectively provided funding under the label of a private investment fund.

FT also explained that some argue the scale of financial support now under discussion is far larger than the assistance provided after the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under then President Barack Obama.

FT further reported, citing senior officials in the Trump administration, that the United States could provide small scale initial financial assistance as part of confidence building measures. One official told FT that sanctions relief is not tied to any single specific step, that it depends on whether Iran behaves appropriately overall, and that the issue considered most important is the nuclear program.

In Iran, there are also claims that this amounts to U.S. war reparations. Mehdi Mohammadi, a strategic adviser to the chief adviser of the Iranian negotiating team, said the previous day that although the word compensation was not explicitly mentioned, when the other side talks about reconstruction it clearly means compensation for the damage Iran suffered during the war.