US Could Again Freeze Iran's $6 Billion If Tehran Engages in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The United States may again freeze Iran's $6 billion stored in a Qatari bank if Tehran becomes involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This statement was made by John Kirby, the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House.
"The six billion dollars can be frozen at any time, but I’m not going to make any political decisions on this matter," he said.
At the same time, Kirby clarified that, according to U.S. intelligence, Tehran has not yet begun to spend those funds.
It is worth noting that Iran gained access to the frozen assets in September as part of a prisoner exchange deal with the U.S., which involved $6 billion in Iranian funds held in accounts in Qatar. The State Department explained that these previously frozen funds belong to Iran, and Tehran will only be able to use them for humanitarian needs, while the U.S. will monitor where those funds go.