Iranian President Pezeshkian says USD 6 billion frozen in Qatar to be released

Tehran [Iran], June 21 (ANI): Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that USD 6 billion in frozen funds currently in Qatar’s possession will be returned to Iran as part of the preliminary deal with the US to end the war, the Tasnim news agency reported.

The statement coincided with the arrival of diplomatic delegations at the Swiss mountain resort of Burgenstock for the high-stakes discussions.

The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the arrivals on social media platform X, stating, “The US delegation, led by US Vice-President JD Vance, the Iranian delegation, led by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the mediators, Pakistan and Qatar, have arrived at the Burgenstock. Talks between the parties are set to begin today.”

The diplomatic push is being conducted under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) finalised on June 17 by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Pakistan, acting as a guarantor of the agreement, and Qatar are participating in the proceedings as mediators.

Expressing strong confidence in this diplomatic framework, the Iranian President asserted that the agreement heavily favours Tehran. “All provisions of the memorandum of understanding are in our favour, and the achievements of these talks and negotiations will become evident,” the Tasnim news agency quoted President Pezeshkian as saying.

Reflecting on the shifting stance of the American leadership, Pezeshkian noted that US President Donald Trump, “who had forbidden us from doing many things in his recent speech, declared all of them as the rights of the people and the nation”. Reiterating the financial terms, the Iranian President added, “Our $6bn in Qatar will be returned.”

The Wall Street Journal also reported that Iran could be permitted to retrieve USD 6 billion of its frozen financial assets stored in Qatar under a drafted framework meant to end hostilities between Tehran and Washington, citing individuals familiar with the issue. The terms indicate, however, that the capital can only be used to buy humanitarian goods and other items not under sanctions, primarily sourced from the United States.

The assets, generated originally from Iranian oil exports and formerly maintained in South Korean financial institutions, were relocated to restricted bank accounts in Qatar in 2023 under a bilateral prisoner exchange deal. Access to these funds was subsequently suspended following the October 7 Hamas attacks and the ensuing rise in regional hostilities.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, the publication reported that the drafted mechanism would permit Iran to retrieve the USD 6 billion in separate phases over an extended 60-day ceasefire window tied to active negotiations between the two nations. Under this structure, the incremental unfreezing of the funds is reportedly dependent upon the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and steady advancements towards a comprehensive treaty.

An American official familiar with the diplomatic talks told the WSJ that segments of Iran’s blocked capital could be released if Tehran exhibits during the talks what Washington views as “appropriate behaviour”, including collaboration regarding its inventories of enriched uranium.

Looking ahead to the broader diplomatic agenda, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stated on Monday that the United States had pledged to handle the matter of frozen Iranian assets along with restitution for damages caused by the recent hostilities. “The release of the frozen Iranian assets, as well as reparations for damages, are two essential points. The American side has committed to taking measures in both areas,” Baqaei told reporters during a weekly press briefing.

Alongside these financial negotiations, Pezeshkian also took a jab at Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he would be “the first to be unhappy with the negotiations” currently underway in Switzerland.

Addressing the core security focus of the Western administration, Pezeshkian highlighted that Washington’s primary concern remains Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. “America’s only point is that we not have an atomic bomb. This is something the martyred leader also repeatedly said, ‘we do not want an atomic bomb,'” Pezeshkian noted, referencing the religious edict decreed by slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iranian President indicated that Tehran had formalised its commitment following explicit directives from Washington, stating, “America said ‘write this down and sign’ – and we signed.”

While the technical-level talks were originally scheduled to commence on Friday, they faced sudden delays, primarily due to recent exchanges of fire between Israel and Lebanon, which threatened to derail the diplomatic timeline.

The report emerges amid heightened expectations regarding the volume of monetary relief that might be paired with a subsequent US-Iran treaty. Iranian state media networks aligned with the administration have asserted that Tehran anticipates obtaining access to up to USD 12 billion in frozen capital during the transitional 60-day window.

The prospective unfreezing of the funds has turned into a sensitive political topic in the United States. US President Donald Trump has supported the potential easing of curbs on Iranian capital, maintaining that any financial relief would remain strictly connected to Tehran’s adherence to the conditions of a wider treaty.

Ultimately, this high-profile diplomatic trip places the regional mediators in the middle of the current US-Iran engagement as guarantors, with the immediate agenda centring on the enforcement of the MoU, mitigating regional hostility, and addressing the volatile situation surrounding the crucial Strait of Hormuz maritime route and the broader West Asian conflict. (ANI)

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