Iran Seeks $24 Billion Asset Release in US Deal Negotiations
The release of an estimated $24 billion in frozen assets has emerged as the final major hurdle in negotiations between Iran and the United States, with talks reportedly taking place in Qatar.
According to Iranian media, Tehran’s negotiators are seeking the funds as part of a 14-point framework aimed at ending a conflict that began with US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28. The proposal reportedly calls for half the amount, approximately $12 billion, to be made available at the start of the deal’s announcement.
A high-level Iranian delegation, including lead negotiator Mohammad Baqr Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, is in Qatar to finalise a mechanism for implementing the funds’ release.
While neither the US nor Iran has officially confirmed the development, Iranian media have previously estimated the total value of frozen assets abroad to be between $100 billion and $123 billion. In a separate 2023 deal, $6 billion in Iranian funds held in South Korea was transferred to Qatar as part of a prisoner exchange with the US.
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Updated: 11:55 AM PKT — May 27, 2026
Global oil prices retreated on Wednesday as renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran cast doubt on negotiations to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell 1.43% to $98.16 a barrel, while U.S. WTI crude dropped 1.77% to $92.23. The decline followed a surge on Tuesday after the US military conducted new strikes in Iran.
Tehran accused Washington of violating a ceasefire by striking targets near the contested strait, while the US maintained its actions were defensive. These developments threaten to derail talks that had progressed since an April ceasefire, although some LNG tankers have reportedly passed through the waterway in recent days, offering a glimmer of hope for its reopening.
Updated: 9:39 PM PKT — May 26, 2026
Wall Street stocks climbed on Tuesday, extending a recent rally as market optimism grows for a potential resolution to the US-Iran conflict. Investors are betting that a deal will reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz, largely shrugging off recent military strikes and accusations of ceasefire violations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio bolstered this sentiment, stating that a deal remained “within reach” and confirming that talks were proceeding in Qatar. The Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all posted gains on the hopeful news.
