Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said six billion dollars (£4.54 billion) in frozen Iranian assets will be released by Qatar as talks with the US were challenged by attacks across in and around the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian has said six billion dollars (£4.54 billion) in frozen Iranian assets will be released by Qatar.
It comes after talks between Iran and the US were challenged by attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz beginning on Thursday.
Pezeshkian is the highest-ranking official within Iran to reference the release of the funds held by Qatar, a key mediator in the negotiations with Pakistan.
Pezeshkian was cited by the state-run IRNA news agency as saying: “Based on the plans made, six billion dollars out of the total 12 billion dollars of Iranian resources in Qatar will be released and returned to the country, and necessary follow-ups are being carried out.”
The remarks appeared aimed at selling the Iranian public on the interim deal. So far, US officials say no frozen Iranian assets have been released.
It comes after a US official told The Hill on Sunday that “technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MoU [memorandum of understanding]”. “Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely,” the official added.
The official referenced the 14-point MoU signed by both sides on June 17, which included an immediate end to military operations and the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charges for 60 days. Iran has not commented on reports that it has agreed to halt strikes.
The US military said it struck Iran on Friday in retaliation for an Iranian drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier.
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