Iran Claims No Restrictions on Frozen Assets Released by US in Prisoner Exchange
The Iranian foreign ministry has announced that there will be no restrictions on the frozen assets released to Tehran as part of a politically charged agreement with the Biden administration. This agreement will result in the return of five imprisoned American citizens in exchange for Iran gaining access to billions of dollars. Iran’s foreign ministry stated, “The decision on how to utilize these unfrozen resources and financial assets lies with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
However, this assertion contradicts comments made by John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, who stated that Iran can only use the money for humanitarian purposes. Kirby clarified that the funds will be moved to a country with a system that Iran can access for the same purposes as under the Trump administration. He emphasized that the money is earmarked solely for humanitarian purposes, with the same oversight applied as in previous accounts.
The Iranian foreign ministry’s statement also highlighted that the deal is contingent on the US releasing Iranians imprisoned in America. It noted that “prisoners sought by the United States still remain in Iran.” In response, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani posted on social media, asserting that the US will release several Iranian prisoners as part of the exchange.
Despite these claims, negotiations are still ongoing to bring the five American citizens back home. Kirby emphasized that this is not a matter of ransom or sanctions relief and that no US taxpayer dollars are involved. A source familiar with the deal confirmed that Iran will not receive anything in the initial step of the agreement.
The US prisoners involved in the agreement include Siamak Namazi, who has been held in Iran for nearly eight years, Emad Shargi, a Washington, D.C. resident, and Morad Tahbaz, a US-UK national. The identities of the other two Americans involved have not been disclosed by the White House and State Department.
Under the terms of the agreement, approximately $6 billion of frozen Iranian assets will be transferred to a bank account in a third country, and Iran will gain access to it. Western-allied countries have revealed that Qatar will hold these funds in restricted accounts. The US is not lifting any sanctions or providing any taxpayer money to Iran. The transfers will be closely monitored by the US Treasury Department to ensure compliance with existing sanctions and the funds’ usage for permitted trade purposes.
The completion of the deal will occur once the American citizens return to US soil, which could happen as early as September. However, the process is highly sensitive and dependent on Iran fulfilling its end of the agreement.
Source: CBS News
Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-08-11 14:32:59
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