Iran FM: Swap of prisoners has nothing to do with release of frozen assets

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says there is no connection between a prisoner exchange agreement with the United States and the release of Tehran's assets frozen abroad "at the order of the US."

"The exchange of prisoners is a completely humanitarian issue and has nothing to do with unblocking our funds in foreign banks," Amir-Abdollahian said in a meeting to commemorate journalists in Tehran on Monday.

He said the recent agreement reached between Tehran and Washington, mediated by a third country, covers two separate issues, one relating to the prisoners swap and the other about unfreezing Iranian assets illegally blocked overseas under the pretext of US sanctions.

He added that the process to transfer released Iranian assets from South Korean banks to a European bank started on August 10 and will be completed in several phases.

The funds would be converted into euros in Europe within a few weeks before being deposited into another bank in a regional country, the top Iranian diplomat noted. 

Amir-Abdollahian said Iran can only access the assets to purchase non-sanctioned goods, which he said was a hostile move. 

In a statement on Thursday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced the start of a process to unblock $6 billion worth of the country’s assets frozen in South Korea, emphasizing, "Iran has received the necessary guarantee for the United States' commitment to its obligations in this regard."

In addition to unfreezing the funds, the ministry added, the release of those Iranian prisoners who had been arrested and held in American jails illegally and under the pretext of violating US sanctions will be realized soon.

Foreign Ministry: Release of South Korea-held Iranian funds underway

The Foreign Ministry says the process of release of Iran

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian foreign minister reiterated the country's full commitment to remove the unilateral US sanctions against the country through diplomacy and negotiations but emphasized that Tehran will never settle for a temporary or limited agreement.

Amir-Abdollahian said that the removal of Washington’s unilateral and unfair sanctions through diplomacy has always been on the agenda of the Iranian administration.

He added that the "path of negotiations and indirect exchange of messages" between Iran and the US has been in progress for months but Tehran has never been after "an interim or a small agreement."

Iran has never strayed from the path of negotiations, he pointed out.

The United States, under former president Donald Trump, abandoned the 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May 2018 and reinstated the sanctions that the agreement had lifted.

The talks to salvage the agreement kicked off in Vienna in April 2021, months after Joe Biden succeeded Trump, with the intention of examining Washington’s seriousness in rejoining the deal and removing anti-Iran sanctions.

Despite notable progress, the US indecisiveness and procrastination caused multiple interruptions in the marathon talks.

Extra-regional presence in Persian Gulf increases security threats

Amir-Abdollahian further warned that the military presence of extra-regional powers in the Persian Gulf would increase security threats.

He added that all regional countries are keen to play a leading role in maintaining security in the region.

"Our message to regional countries is nothing but peace and friendship. We defend security of all in the region," the foreign minister emphasized.

Earlier this month, Abolfazl Shekarchi, the spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces, said security of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean has nothing to do with the United States.

Security of Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman has nothing to do with US: Top commander

A senior Iranian military commander says security of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean has nothing to do with the United States.

“What the security of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean has to do with America? What are you (US forces) doing here?” the commander said, adding, "All the countries in the region are capable of establishing security in these waters."

The United States has recently increased its military buildup in West Asia, deploying more than 3,000 sailors and Marine to the Persian Gulf under the pretext of protecting ships crossing the strategic waterways.

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