Washington allows foreign banks to release $6 billion to Iran
Washington allows foreign banks to release $6 billion to Iran
9-12-2023
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken notified Congress and foreign banks of the transfer of $6 billion to Iran via Doha, which are financial assets that were frozen in South Korea as part of a sanctions package on Tehran.
This came according to what was reported by Bloomberg News Agency – today, Tuesday – which said that it had obtained a copy of the notification issued by the US State Department.
Blinken has assured Congress that $6 billion will be held in restricted accounts in Qatar, where it will only be available for trade for humanitarian needs.
The United States paved the way for the return of these billions of oil revenues to Tehran, after an agreement to hand over prisoners of American citizenship detained in Iran.
Until the early hours of this morning, no official statement was issued by the US State Department, or any official body confirming what was contained in the notification, the details of which were reported by Bloomberg.
The notification issued by the US State Department allows German, Irish, Qatari, South Korean and Swiss banks to transfer $6 billion, which was frozen in South Korea, without falling under US sanctions.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said yesterday that it expects assets frozen abroad to be transferred to the country within days, as part of an agreement signed with Washington last August.
Last August 10, the Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, revealed what the ministry reported on the “X” platform that the mediation – carried out by Doha between the United States and Iran – reached the agreement that would release prisoners.
On August 12, the Governor of the Iranian Central Bank, Mohammad Reza Farzin, announced the release of all of his country’s frozen balances in South Korea, explaining that they would soon be deposited in the European currency (euro) in the accounts of 6 Iranian banks.
The United States has stipulated that these funds be used for purchases and channels that serve citizens in Iran, as Blinken was quoted as saying – last month – that the funds will be placed in restricted accounts to ensure that they are not used in contravention of the sanctions on Tehran.
For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani confirmed – today – that his country is completely free to use these amounts to purchase any products that are not subject to US sanctions.
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