Iran says Qatar will release $6 billion of frozen assets

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Qatar will release $6 billion of the frozen Iranian assets it holds, representing half of the total $12 billion. He indicated that the necessary follow-up actions are under way, though he gave no further details.

The announcement comes as recent drone and missile attacks by Iran on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and on targets in Bahrain and Kuwait have heightened tensions and disrupted oil and gas shipments through the strategic waterway. The United States responded with airstrikes, raising concerns that the incidents could affect ongoing negotiations to end the conflict.

Pezeshkian, a reformist official, praised the interim arrangement, describing it as a significant achievement for Iran. Qatar and Pakistan have acted as mediators in the talks, but U.S. officials say no frozen assets have yet been transferred, and Qatar has not confirmed the release.

Uncertainty also surrounds the schedule for the next round of Iran-U.S. negotiations. Pakistan announced that talks could resume on Tuesday, while the Trump administration said technical discussions remain on track. However, senior Iranian negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi told the state-run IRNA news agency that reports of scheduled technical talks in Doha were unconfirmed.

Technical talks involve lower-level diplomats working on the details of any potential agreement that could bring senior leaders from Tehran and Washington back to the negotiating table.