US Denies Agreement to Unfreeze $6 Billion in Iranian Assets Amid Conflicting Claims

Iranian sources claim the United States has agreed to unfreeze up to $6 billion in Iranian assets held in Qatar, linking the move to talks involving security in the Strait of Hormuz. However, a US official denied any such agreement. The funds, originally frozen under sanctions and later tied to a 2023 prisoner swap, remain restricted for humanitarian use.

A senior Iranian source said on Saturday that the United States had agreed to release Iranian frozen assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, describing the move as a sign of “seriousness” in ongoing negotiations with Washington in Islamabad.
The source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, told Reuters that the unfreezing of the assets was “directly linked” to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments that is expected to feature prominently in the talks. However, the source did not specify the total value of the assets involved.
A second Iranian source stated that Washington had agreed to release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds currently held in Qatar. Efforts to obtain an official response from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry were unsuccessful, as it did not immediately comment on the reports.
However, a US official on Saturday denied claims that Washington had agreed to unfreeze any Iranian assets, highlighting conflicting accounts surrounding the issue.
The $6 billion in question was originally frozen in 2018 after then-President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran and withdrew from a nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers. The funds were expected to be released in 2023 under a prisoner swap agreement between the United States and Iran. However, they were frozen again by the administration of Joe Biden following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
US officials had at the time emphasized that Iran would not be able to access the funds for the foreseeable future and that Washington retained the authority to fully restrict the account if necessary.
The funds originated from Iranian oil sales to South Korea and had been held in South Korean banks following the reimposition of US sanctions in 2018. Under a September 2023 prisoner exchange deal mediated by Doha, the money was transferred to Qatari bank accounts.
The agreement involved the release of five US citizens detained in Iran in exchange for the release of five Iranian nationals held in the United States, alongside the planned transfer of the funds. At the time, US officials stressed that the money would be strictly limited to humanitarian purposes, including payments for food, medicine, medical equipment, and agricultural goods, all subject to oversight by the US Treasury.