TEHRAN: Mohammad Jamshidi, Iran’s Vice President for Political Affairs, announced in a tweet on Friday that US prisoners will remain in Iran until the complete transfer of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds is realized. The statement comes as part of the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States.
Hopefully, Iranians held hostage by the US will be freed. US prisoners in Iran will leave simultaneously with the irreversible release of our illegally held citizens and the full transfer of illegally held assets in South Korea, similar to the recently freed assets in Iraq.
— Mohammad Jamshidi (@MhmmdJamshidi) August 10, 2023
Jamshidi further revealed that the process of unfreezing Iran’s funds in South Korea has already begun, following the successful unlocking of Iranian assets in Iraq.
The agreement between the US and Iran includes provisions for the exchange of prisoners. As part of the deal, the US is obligated to facilitate the release of Iranian assets that have been frozen in Iraq and South Korea.
Restrictions on Iran to Use Funds
Reports suggest that Iran might be limited to using these funds exclusively for humanitarian purposes. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has emphasized that the decision on how to utilize the unfrozen assets ultimately rests with Tehran.
Western observers speculate that the funds may not be directly accessible to Iran, but rather deposited into a bank account in Qatar. These funds would then be allocated for the purchase of goods and services that are not banned in Iran.
Contrary to these speculations, Mohammad Marandi, a senior advisor to the Iranian negotiating team involved in the revival talks of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), refuted these claims. Marandi stated in an earlier tweet that Tehran will indeed have direct access to its frozen assets that have been held by the US for several years.
The negotiations between Iran and the US continue as both sides work to address various outstanding issues, including the release of prisoners and the unfreezing of assets. The outcome of these discussions will likely have significant implications for the diplomatic relations between the two nations.
