US Denies Iranian Claims on Asset Unfreeze for Ceasefire Talks

The United States has firmly denied Iranian claims that Washington agreed to unfreeze billions in frozen Iranian assets ahead of high-stakes ceasefire negotiations set to begin this weekend in Islamabad, Pakistan. The talks, mediated by Pakistan, involve delegations from both nations and aim to transform a temporary two-week truce into a more enduring agreement amid ongoing regional tensions.

Iranian officials asserted on Friday that the U.S. had committed to releasing approximately 6 billion in assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, describing the step as a gesture of goodwill. A senior Iranian source, speaking anonymously to Reuters, linked the potential unfreezing directly to guarantees for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway for global oil shipments that has been a flashpoint in recent conflicts. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf echoed this on social media, stating that two preconditions—a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of blocked assets under U.S. and global sanctions—must be met before formal discussions proceed. "These two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin," Ghalibaf wrote.