Washington to oversee unfreezing of Iranian assets via Qatar – US Treasury

The United States will monitor the unfreezing of Iranian assets by Qatar, with Treasury Department officials based in Doha overseeing the process, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

In an interview with CNBC, he stated that all funds received by Iranians would be used for the benefit of the Iranian people, describing them as frozen Iranian assets. He added that the first tranche of money would likely come from Qatar, and noted that officials from the US Treasury would be based in Doha to monitor how the funds are distributed.

“A very large percentage of it will go to buy US foodstuffs and medicines,” Bessent said, reiterating the president’s remarks on how the unfrozen funds are expected to be allocated.

He did not specify how much money would be released, which entity in Qatar would manage the account, where the funds would be held, what role Iran would have in directing purchases, or what enforcement mechanisms the Treasury would use to prevent diversion of the money.

US Vice President JD Vance told journalists ahead of departing Switzerland following talks with an Iranian delegation in Bürgenstock that Qatar will help establish a mechanism to supervise the use of the unfrozen Iranian assets.

By Jeyhun Aghazada