Iran prisoners exchange happening, $6bn unfrozen: US State Dept
The spokesperson for the State Department stresses that the lifted funds would only be used for Iran’s purchases of humanitarian goods, and that it does not include any lifting on US sanctions against it.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks with reporters after meeting with Mexican Foreign Secretary Alicia Barcena at the State Department in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 (AP)
A spokesperson of the State Department disclosed to Sputnik on Monday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken ratified a waiver last week that would allow the advancement of a prisoner exchange deal with Iran that also lifts the hold on $6 billion of Iranian funds.
"As we have said previously, the US has agreed to allow the transfer of funds from South Korea to restricted accounts held in financial institutions in Qatar and the release of five Iranian nationals currently detained in the United States to facilitate the release of five US citizens detained in Iran," the spokesperson said on Monday.
"Secretary Blinken signed a waiver last week enabling the effectuation of this transfer. It was a critical step in securing the release of these five US citizens."
According to sources, "American prisoners will fly to Qatar from Tehran, and Iranian prisoners will fly from the US to Qatar, and then be transferred to Iran."
Read more: Despite US-Iran prisoner swap deal, return to nuclear deal not certain
The spokesperson stressed that the lifted funds would only be used for Iran’s purchases of humanitarian goods and that it does not include any lifting of US sanctions against it.
The State Department noted that the released funds do not contain any US taxpayer money and that the funds will be transferred to restricted accounts in Qatar while the US maintains oversight on how the funds are being used, according to the spokesperson who also stated that the US will continue to cooperate and secure the release of other Americans it sees "unjustly" captured by Iran.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed last month that in March 2022, a written agreement was signed with Washington regarding the exchange of prisoners through mediators.
In mid-February, NBC News cited four sources as saying that "the Biden administration is holding indirect discussions with Iran on a possible prisoner exchange in a bid to secure the release of American citizens imprisoned in Iran, with Qatar and the United Kingdom playing an intermediary role in the talks."
It is noteworthy that on August 17, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani expressed Iran's readiness to exchange prisoners with the United States.
