Trump admin mulls unfreezing $20B in frozen Iranian assets — as prez expects peace deal this weekend
The United States is reportedly weighing the possibility of unfreezing up to $6 billion in Iranian assets as part of an initial phase in a broader potential agreement aimed at ending the conflict with Iran, according to a source familiar with the discussions who spoke to The Post.
The same source said the total value of released assets could eventually reach $20 billion, but only if additional conditions are met. The first phase of any arrangement would reportedly unfold over a two- to three-year period, with further requirements determining whether the full amount is ever unlocked.
At present, about $6 billion in Iranian funds—largely tied to oil sales to South Korea—are frozen in Qatar. Separate reporting has indicated that Washington may also consider allowing Iran access to other restricted financial channels, including roughly $15 billion owed by Iraq for electricity purchases.
The exact conditions tied to any release of funds have not been made public. It also remains unclear whether Iran would need to meet specific nuclear-related commitments, including limits on uranium enrichment, which the current president, Donald Trump, has repeatedly emphasized as a key requirement in any agreement.
Speaking on Friday, the president said Iran had agreed to turn over its enriched uranium stockpile, while stressing that no financial exchange would take place. He wrote on social media that the United States would receive all nuclear-related materials and that “no money would exchange hands in any way, shape, or form.”
Earlier reporting from Axios and Reuters first raised the possibility of a $20 billion framework. Officials cited by the Wall Street Journal also suggested that the plan could involve granting Iran access to previously frozen overseas revenues rather than direct new payments.
The administration is reportedly working through intermediaries to shape a possible agreement, with discussions continuing on whether a deal could be finalized during upcoming talks potentially taking place in Islamabad, Pakistan. Some reports suggest those negotiations could begin within days, though no final schedule has been confirmed.
White House deputy spokeswoman Anna Kelly cautioned against relying on anonymous accounts, stating that only official announcements from the White House or the president should be considered authoritative. She also noted that discussions with Iran remain ongoing but would not be conducted through the press.
The report comes amid historical context involving previous U.S.-Iran financial arrangements. During the Obama administration, a payment of $400 million in foreign currency was delivered to Iran in connection with the release of American prisoners and the implementation of a 2016 nuclear agreement. That payment was part of a broader $1.7 billion settlement resolving long-standing financial claims related to a failed arms deal dating back decades, during the era of the Shah. Barack Obama authorized that transfer at the time.
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