The United States has agreed to release $6 billion in Iranian assets frozen in Qatar and other foreign banks, Reuters reported as both Tehran and Washington commence talks on ending the war in Islamabad today, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.
However, a US official has rejected this and claimed that no such agreement had been reached.
The Iranian source said Tehran had demanded the release of its blocked funds through messages exchanged with Washington and believed the request had been accepted. The issue is linked to discussions on safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz which is one of the biggest topics under discussion today.
A second Iranian source said the funds involved total about $6 billion held in Qatari accounts. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has yet to officially issue an explanation on this matter.
The money originates from Iranian oil revenues frozen in 2018 after the United States reimposed sanctions on Tehran and blocked its $6 billion held in South Korean banks.
Then during a US–Iran prisoner swap mediated by Doha in September 2023, the funds were transferred to Qatar. The agreement secured the release of five US citizens detained in Iran and five Iranians held in the United States.
Following the beginning of Israel’s genocide on Palestinians in Gaza on October 7, 2023, the Trump administration again restricted access to the funds. US announced at the time that Iran would not be allowed to use the money for the foreseeable future.
Any official announcement on the matter has yet to be officially confirmed or denied by both sides as negotiations heat up in Islamabad.