On condition of anonymity, a source told Reuters that the release of these funds is directly linked to “ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.” It is believed that this will be one of the key issues in the ongoing talks.
A senior source in Tehran has claimed that the United States has agreed to release a large amount of Iranian funds frozen in foreign banks, including those in Qatar. However, Washington has immediately denied the claim.
In an interview with Reuters on Saturday, the Iranian senior source said that the decision to release the frozen funds reflects Washington’s goodwill in the ongoing negotiations with the United States in Islamabad. According to the source, Tehran had repeatedly requested the release of these funds through various messages, and recently it has received signals of U.S. approval on the matter.
Due to the sensitive nature of the issue, the source—speaking on condition of anonymity—added that the release of the funds is closely tied to ensuring safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore, it is expected to be one of the most Important issues in the discussions.
Although the official did not specify an exact figure, another Iranian source stated that the administration of Donald Trump had agreed to release approximately $6 billion held in Qatar and other banks.
There has been no immediate comment from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the matter.
Funds Frozen for Eight Years
The funds date back to 2018, when former U.S. President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran and withdrew from the nuclear deal, leading to about $6 billion in Iranian oil revenues being frozen in South Korean banks.
Later, in September 2023, under a prisoner exchange deal mediated by Doha, the funds were transferred from South Korea to banks in Qatar.
Under that agreement, five American citizens detained in Iran were released in exchange for five Iranians held by the United States, and Iran was granted limited access to the funds.
However, the situation changed after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. As Hamas is considered a close ally of Iran, the administration of Joe Biden reimposed restrictions on the funds.
At the time, U.S. officials stated that Iran would not be able to access the funds in the near future, and Washington retained the authority to freeze the accounts entirely at any time.
U.S. directives specified that the money could only be used for humanitarian purposes. Under the supervision of the U.S. Treasury Department, Iran would be allowed to use the funds to import food, medicine, medical supplies, and agricultural products, with payments made only through approved vendors.
Now, as Washington denies the renewed claims of releasing the funds, the issue has once again created uncertainty and ambiguity in the international diplomatic arena.
US agrees to release Iranian funds held in custody: Tehran claims, Washington denies
