Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei declared that the United States will commit to allowing Iran access to its frozen overseas funds as part of any potential agreement between the two countries. The caveat: Washington won’t be writing Tehran a check.
What Iran wants, and what the US is offering
Iran has put a specific number on the table: approximately $24 billion in frozen assets that it wants released. That figure is the opening demand in what has become a complex web of negotiations tied to ceasefire discussions that began around April and May of 2026.
Iranian officials reportedly floated an initial proposal of $12 billion to be released early in the talks.
US officials, for their part, have indicated that any access to these funds would come with guardrails. The framing from Washington suggests controlled access, likely earmarked for humanitarian or reconstruction purposes rather than a blank-check transfer to Iranian government coffers.
