Frozen Iranian funds a key issue in Qatar-mediated talks

Indirect talks between Iran and the United States have focused on the release of about $24 billion in frozen funds. Iran sees the unfreezing of those assets as one of the main conditions for any deal. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, traveled to Doha to build a basis for agreement on the issue. Qatar’s intensive mediation was reported to have helped move the discussions forward. Iranian assets held abroad are estimated at between $100 billion and $120 billion. The frozen funds have emerged as one of the central items on the negotiating table in the Qatar-mediated process.