US Agrees to Release Iranian Assets in Qatar, Other Banks: Reuters

A senior Iranian source said on Saturday that the United States has agreed to release frozen Iranian assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, describing the step as evidence of “serious intent” to reach an agreement with Washington during ongoing talks in Islamabad.

The United States has not issued any official public confirmation regarding the unfreezing of these assets.

Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, the Iranian source stated that the move is “directly linked to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” a key issue expected to dominate the negotiations.

However, a senior U.S. official denied the reports later Saturday, rejecting claims that Washington had approved the release of Iranian assets in Qatar and other international banks.

Delegations from both Iran and the United States have arrived in Islamabad for talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Tehran has previously stated that any lasting agreement must include the release of Iranian assets under sanctions, as well as an end to Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In a separate development, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in Islamabad. According to an official statement, peace talks aimed at ending the war in the Middle East have “already begun.”

Despite the diplomatic momentum, uncertainty persists as conflicting narratives from Iranian and U.S. officials continue to cloud the outlook of the Negotiations.