Iran delegation in Qatar seeks deal on frozen assets and Hormuz blockade

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A high-level Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arrived in Qatar on Monday “for negotiations as part of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict,” according to anonymous sources familiar with the meeting.

The source cited by AFP said that the visit to Doha, which also involves Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, would focus on “issues related to the Strait of Hormuz and highly enriched uranium.”

Iran’s central bank chief Abdolnaser Hemmati is also part of the delegation to discuss frozen assets, an issue reportedly addressed in a final agreement.

According to Iran’s state-run Fars news agency, Washington has agreed to release part of Tehran’s frozen overseas assets, which have been subject to international sanctions.

In return, restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz would be lifted, along with the naval blockade on ships travelling to and from Iranian ports, Fars reported.

The exact amount of Iran’s frozen assets in Qatar remains unclear. International media outlets have previously reported the figure stood at $6 billion (€5.1bn) — funds transferred from South Korea to Qatar in 2023 in exchange for the release of five US citizens detained by Iran.

However, following Hamas’ 7 October attack on southern Israel and the subsequent deterioration in US-Iran relations, those assets were never released.

Iranian officials, however, have put the figure at $12 billion (€10.2bn).

Trump says no cash to Tehran

The Iranian delegation’s visit to Doha comes as US President Donald Trump recently told Fox News that he has no intention of handing over “cash” to Tehran.

“Do you really think that after everything I’ve said about Iran never obtaining a nuclear weapon, I’m going to give them cash,” Trump said.

Pakistan has so far served as the main mediator in negotiations between the US and Iran. The talks, which have continued since the ceasefire began on 8 April, aim to end the war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar, which previously served as a mediator between Iran and the US, has recently taken on an increasingly active role in advancing the negotiations.

Earlier this month, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met in the US with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

Qatar was also one of three Gulf countries — the other two being the UAE and Saudi Arabia — that had successfully influenced Trump to hold off on further attacks against Iran last week.

The disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies transit — has severely affected global energy flows and increased pressure on countries across the region.