WASHINGTON: A State Department spokesperson confirmed to Sputnik that Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week signed a waiver advancing a prisoner exchange deal with Iran that lifts a hold on US$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.”
The spokesperson emphasised that the US$6 billion of Iranian funds can only be used to fund Iran’s purchases of humanitarian goods; the deal does not lift any US sanctions on Iran.
According to the State Department, the released funds belong to Iran and do not consist of US taxpayer money.
Iran’s funds will be moved to restricted accounts in Qatar and the United States will have oversight as to how and when these funds are used, the spokesperson said.
Regardless of the current prisoner exchange deal, the spokesperson said, the United States will continue to work to secure the release of other Americans it considers “unjustly” held by Iran. – BERNAMA-SPUTNIK
