Iran demands US unfreeze 50% of its overseas assets as part of any potential deal

TEHRAN, June 4. /TASS/. Iran demands that it be granted immediate access to half of its frozen foreign assets as part of any agreement with the United States, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said.

"Another issue that is in our interest and requires resolution is the unfreezing of Iranian funds. The question of which portion of these funds should be transferred first and which should be transferred after a certain period remains under discussion. However, Iran's minimum requirement is that 50% of these funds be transferred to Iran immediately after the signing of the memorandum of understanding," he said in an interview with the Mehr news agency.

Gharibabadi stressed that this does not involve funds from Western countries or the United States, for which Iran would need to negotiate or seek assistance. "This is Iran's money, which the United States has illegally frozen, preventing other countries from transferring it or making it available to the Islamic Republic of Iran," the deputy foreign minister added.