Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced that Qatar will release six billion dollars (approximately £4.54 billion) in frozen Iranian assets. This development follows challenges in Iran-US talks due to recent attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz starting on Thursday.
Pezeshkian, a top Iranian official, mentioned the release of funds held by Qatar, a crucial mediator in negotiations with Pakistan. As per the state-run IRNA news agency, Pezeshkian stated, “A total of 12 billion dollars of Iranian resources in Qatar will be partially released, with six billion dollars returning to Iran, and ongoing efforts are in progress.”
These statements seem designed to garner public support in Iran for the temporary agreement. However, US officials have confirmed that there have been no released Iranian assets yet.
In another development, a US official informed The Hill on Sunday that technical discussions on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) are scheduled to continue. The official stated that both parties have agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities, allowing vessels to navigate freely.
The MoU, consisting of 14 points and signed on June 17, includes immediate cessation of military activities and safe passage for commercial ships without fees for a 60-day period. Iran has not officially confirmed any cessation of attacks.
In response to an Iranian drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the US military retaliated by striking Iran on Friday.
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