Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli Channel 13: The Iranian nuclear program cannot be destroyed with missiles, even if we spend another year attacking it alongside the Americans.
Over 30 casualties in a suicide bombing that targeted the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, Syria.
Iranian Shura Council recommends the closure of the Hormuz Strait and leaves the decision up to the Iranian National Security Council.
IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour: As time passes, the people's solidarity increases, which is a divine blessing
IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour: The Iranian Revolution Guard Corps' aerospace operations will not stop
Russian Foreign Ministry: IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi must ensure that an objective report is presented at the special session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Russian Foreign Ministry: The UN Security Council must respond to the US attacks on Iran
Russian Foreign Ministry: We strongly condemn the US strikes on Iran, calling the decision irresponsible
Iranian Red Crescent: Three personnel martyred, 29 injured in Israeli aggression
IRGC: We have identified and monitored the departure points of the US aircraft that carried out the aggression

Iran, US reach deal: Convicted US spies for jailed Iranians, assets

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The New York Times
  • 10 Aug 2023 20:57
  • 3 Shares
4 Min Read

The New York Times says the United States will unfreeze $6 billion frozen in South Korea in the upcoming few weeks.

  • x
  • Iran to retrieve jailed assets for the release of convicted US spies
    An Iranian flag raised in Vienna, Austria (AFP)

Washington has reached an agreement with Iran to release unlawfully frozen assets of Iranian oil revenue in exchange for the release of five individuals carrying dual US-Iranian citizenship imprisoned by the Islamic Republic on charges of spying for foreign "hostile states", the New York Times reported on Thursday citing sources familiar with the matter.

The United States will also release a number of Iranian prisoners as part of the deal, the news outlet said citing sources, adding that the agreement, which took shape in the past few months, was mediated by Oman, Qatar, and Switzerland and is awaiting logistical preparations.

Iranian Tasnim News Agency confirmed that a deal was reached, whereby "American prisoners will be released in exchange for the release of Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks estimated at $6 billion."

However, the Iranian agency cited informed sources as saying that the American prisoners will not be released before Iran's frozen funds in South Korea are transferred to Qatar.

On its part, IRNA said, citing an informed source, that the deal calls for the release of five American prisoners in exchange for the release of 5 Iranian prisoners in the United States and $6 billion of Iranian funds frozen in South Korea.

The Iranian agency indicated that "a large part of the released Iranian funds will be deposited in the Iraqi TBI Bank," pointing out that the first stages of the process of releasing Iranian funds in European banks have already begun.

IRNA also revealed that Iran's frozen assets in South Korea will be transferred, after their release, to a bank in Switzerland, and from there to Qatar.

Moreover, Iran's mission at the United Nations confirmed Thursday the transfer of American prisoners out of Tehran's Evin prison, state media reported. 

"The Islamic Republic of Iran's mission at the United Nations confirmed the news of the release of dual-citizen prisoners from Tehran's Evin Prison," IRNA reported. 

It said their release was secured through an agreement mediated "by a third party", with each side "granting amnesty and releasing five prisoners."

Related News

US aggression attacks Iran’s national unity, identity: Ex-president

IAEA chief Grossi to speak at Security Council urgent meeting on Iran

According to NYT's report, Iran has moved the US nationals from Evin Prison and placed them under house arrest in a hotel in Tehran following a two-year quit negotiations with Washington.

White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson confirmed that Iran has released the five persons in question from prison and placed them under house arrest, adding that talks on their eventual release continue.

“We have received confirmation that Iran has released from prison five Americans ... and has placed them on house arrest,” Watson said in a statement.

Negotiations for the five Americans’ release remain ongoing and “delicate", the statement added.

Six billion dollars of Iranian funds frozen in South Korea will be deposited as per the agreement in the central bank of Qatar and would then be released in the next 4-6 weeks as sanction-exemption papers are finalized, the newspaper added.

Read more: Iran to have access to $6.7 billion of its IMF funds

But Iran's access to the funds will be regulated by Doha, during which it can only use the cash to buy humanitarian products such as medicine and food, NYT claimed.

The prisoners are Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharghi, and Morad Tahbaz, in addition to two others, a scientist and a businessperson, whose names were not disclosed as per their families' request.

Now, the convicted spies await the final approval to be flown to another country - most likely Qatar - said Namazi's lawyer, Jared Genser.

“I hope that this means that Siamak Namazi and the other prisoners" will be finally released, "but I won’t be celebrating until the plane takes off from Tehran,” Genser said.

“All I can say is that I am more optimistic now than I’ve ever been.”

  • United States
  • frozen assets
  • US
  • South Korea
  • Iran

Most Read

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • Today
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Iran UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani addresses a United Nations Security Council meeting, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Iran demands urgent UN Security Council session over US airstrikes

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, testifies before a hearing April 18, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
US & Canada

Trump aides pushed war on Iran with Mossad-fed intel, ignoring dissent

This photo released on Nov. 5, 2019, by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran shows centrifuge machines in the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP, File)
Politics

Iran: Minor damage to nuclear sites after US attack, no radiation

The U.S. Capitol, on June 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
Politics

US lawmakers condemn Trump’s strikes on Iran; MAGA base frustrated

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS