Iran says US agreement would release $12bn in frozen assets
Iran’s speaker said a deal with Washington would unlock frozen funds as US-Iran negotiations continued in Switzerland, Al Jazeera reported.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Iran’s parliament speaker said Tehran and Washington have reached an agreement to release $12bn in frozen Iranian assets, according to Al Jazeera. The reported asset release comes as US and Iranian officials pursue a final settlement linked to efforts to end the United States and Israel’s war on Iran.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran’s top negotiators have returned home, while Iranian technical experts remain in Switzerland for further talks. The report did not give details on the terms of the proposed settlement or say where the frozen funds are held.
US Vice President JD Vance said negotiators had made “a lot of good progress” and had created what he called a “very good foundation” for a final agreement with Iran, according to Al Jazeera. President Donald Trump said Iran “will agree” to weapons inspections, Al Jazeera reported.
Iran’s Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the agreement with the US would release $12bn in frozen Iranian assets, according to Al Jazeera. The asset issue has been one of several tracks in the diplomacy, alongside questions over inspections and broader regional security.
The US Treasury Department has also waived sanctions on sales of Iranian crude oil, petrochemicals and petroleum products until August 21, Al Jazeera reported. The report did not say whether the waiver was directly tied to the talks in Switzerland.
Former negotiator sees opening for wider deal
Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian nuclear negotiator and a Middle East security specialist at Princeton University, told Al Jazeera that a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran was a “golden opportunity” to end decades of hostility.
Mousavian said the memorandum could help secure a broader and more durable agreement, according to Al Jazeera. His comments point to hopes among some former officials that the current talks could extend beyond immediate wartime issues.
Al Jazeera described the diplomacy as part of efforts to end the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The live report said technical-level negotiations were continuing after senior Iranian negotiators left Switzerland.
Lebanon ceasefire mostly holds
Al Jazeera also reported that a ceasefire in Lebanon has largely held, though fear of renewed fighting has kept displaced residents from returning home. The report linked the Lebanon situation to wider tensions across the Middle East.
An Associated Press photo cited by Al Jazeera showed people driving past damaged buildings in Maifadoun, southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The image was taken Monday, according to the AP caption.
The next steps in the US-Iran talks remain unclear from the report. For now, officials on both sides are signaling movement while technical teams continue work on the details in Switzerland.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.