Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, has stated that Iran's frozen assets are expected to be moved to their "final destination" in Qatar in the "coming days or so."
During a press briefing, Miller did not provide specific details regarding the transactions but mentioned that the assets would travel from South Korea, pass through European banks, and eventually reach their destination in Qatar.
Responding to a query about the amount of accessible assets held by Iran in countries such as India, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea, Miller acknowledged that the US does not have complete visibility into these accounts and how the funds are being utilized. However, he noted that some of these accounts had been depleted by billions of dollars, sometimes to the point of reaching zero balances.
Miller also explained that the US has comprehensive oversight of the accounts in Qatar and possesses the capability to restrict access if Iran attempts actions that violate the bilateral agreement and contravene US sanctions.
While not delving into technical specifics, he emphasized that there is a full agreement in place to prevent Iran from accessing these accounts in the future.
Earlier this week, the Biden administration issued a blanket waiver allowing international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets from South Korea to Qatar without concerns about US sanctions. Additionally, the administration agreed to release five Iranian individuals held in the United States, as identified in the report.
