Overview
- The White House said reports that it approved access to Iran’s $6 billion held in Qatar are false.
- Conflicting claims from Iranian and intermediary sources say the money was unlocked, while a US broadcaster reported the opposite.
- The funds came from oil sales to South Korea and moved to Qatari banks in 2023 for food and medicine under US Treasury oversight after which access was re-frozen following the October 2023 war.
- US and Iranian teams in Islamabad are discussing a broader deal that touches sanctions relief, Iran’s nuclear program, regional security, and safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iranian media say Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf is leading the delegation and that Tehran wants a Lebanon ceasefire and full access to its assets, a stance that could decide whether talks advance.