Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister: Any agreement with the US must include a clause to release half of Iran's frozen assets

Odaily Planet Daily News According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, Kazem Gharibabadi, the Deputy Minister of Legal and International Affairs of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated that once any memorandum of understanding is signed with the United States, at least 50% of Iran's frozen financial assets must be unfrozen immediately. Gharibabadi said that Tehran will only consider any draft agreement as final "if its interests and concerns are fully taken into account." Gharibabadi stated, "Iran at least insists that, after signing the memorandum of understanding, 50% of these funds must be made available to Iran immediately." He added that the remaining funds should be "unfrozen within a limited period of one to two months after the agreement is signed." Gharibabadi said that these assets belong to Iran and have been "illegally frozen" by the United States, and unfreezing them is a core requirement of any potential understanding. He stated that the remaining details of the mechanism for accessing the funds, including technical and financial arrangements, will be further negotiated during the 60-day implementation period after the memorandum is signed. (Jin Shi)