BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10. Iran and the US indirectly continue negotiations on the exchange of prisoners, the Spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Kanaani said at a press conference in Tehran on July 10, 2023, Trend reports.
The spokesman noted that Iran uses all diplomatic means to remove block on the country's frozen assets in abroad, as well as release prisoners and lift sanctions.
According to the obtained information, the US has 4 prisoners in Iran, and Iran has more than 10 prisoners in the US.
In the discussions, Iran is mainly trying to achieve the abolition of sanctions imposed by the US and Western countries, the removal of its funds frozen in foreign countries, and the abolition of the restriction on the export of crude oil. In return, the US and Western countries want Iran not to acquire an atomic bomb, to keep its nuclear program under control, and to reduce the level of uranium enrichment.
On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany), and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
Recently, Iranian media made a report about the unblocking of $24 billion of Iran's frozen assets abroad. Of that, more than $10 billion was unblocked in Iraq, while $7 billion is expected to be unblocked in South Korea.
Also, an agreement was reached that the Central Bank of Iran can receive more than $6.7 billion from the reserve asset (SDR) in the IMF.
Although Iran states that its nuclear-related programs serve for peaceful purposes, citing the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has increased the amount of highly enriched uranium by 27 percent in the last three months, and currently, the country's enriched uranium reserves reach up to 4,745 kilograms. This is 15 times more than the amount of uranium allowed for Iran in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
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