Iran said a deal with its arch-rival, the U.S., to unfreeze $6 billion in finances and swap five inmates would go through on Monday following months of Qatar-mediated discussions.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said Iran would get the funds frozen in South Korea on Monday, triggering the swap of five U.S. nationals arrested in Iran for five Iranians in the U.S.
Sources informed Reuters that the five dual-national Americans will depart Tehran, fly to Doha, Qatar, and then fly to the U.S. under the meticulously orchestrated plan.
Five Iranian Americans will be released to travel to Iran in exchange. Iranian officials and Iran’s national news agency say one detainee will stay in the U.S.
The accord, announced on Aug. 10, will ease tensions between Washington and Tehran, but they still disagree on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, regional influence, U.S. sanctions, and military presence in the Gulf.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Monday it was working with all parties “to ensure smooth progress of all procedures so that it will be resolved once and for all.”
Waived sanctions
Businessmen Siamak Namazi, 51, Emad Sharqi, 59, and environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, 67, also British, will be released. House arrest followed their prison release last month.
Four U.S. citizens were released into house arrest, and five were already there. No identities have been revealed.
According to Iranian sources, the five Iranians released by the U.S. are Mehrdad Moin-Ansari, Kambiz Attar-Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour-Kafrani, Amin Hassanzadeh, and Kaveh Afrasi Afrasiabi will stay in the U.S., according to two Iranian authorities.
Washington relaxed sanctions to allow South Korea to move $6 billion in Iranian funds to Qatar as a first step. Iran’s top oil customer, South Korea, blocked the cash due to U.S. sanctions.
Doha agreed to monitor Iran’s spending on non-sanctioned humanitarian supplies like food and medicine.
Republican lawmakers allege President Joe Biden, a Democrat, is paying a ransom for U.S. people by transferring Iran’s finances. White House defends deal.
Since Republican Donald Trump withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran and world powers in 2018, Washington-Tehran relations have been strained. Biden’s 2024 presidential campaign has slowed progress on a nuclear accord.
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