Foreign Ministry’s statement on the release of frozen Iranian assets in South Korea and exchange of prisoners

In order to achieve the rights of Iranian nationals all over the world as well as Iranians residing in the US and within the framework of an independent process, five Iranian citizens who were illegally prosecuted by the US judicial system due to their normal business activities were released and returned to their families.

In order to achieve the rights of Iranian nationals all over the world as well as Iranians residing in the US and within the framework of an independent process, five Iranian citizens who were illegally prosecuted by the US judicial system due to their normal business activities were released and returned to their families.

Prior to that, the Iranian assets in South Korea---which had been frozen due to the illegal pressures of the United States, making it impossible to use them for years---were unlocked thanks to diligent pursuit of the issue by the Foreign Ministry and Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Through a financial and banking process that lasted several weeks, the assets were transferred to the accounts of Iranian banks in Qatar.

These assets are under the control of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran and will be used at the discretion of relevant Iranian authorities and based on the country’s needs and priorities.

Undoubtedly, the policies and actions of different administrations in the US in preventing Iran's free and legitimate access to its financial resources in other countries are illegal and inhumane.

Nevertheless, the illegal move of the US to abuse the international banking system and put pressure on other countries to limit Iran's access to its assets does not in any way mean that the governments where these assets are kept have no responsibility in this regard, and those governments must be held to account for their unjustified move to comply with the illegal demands of the US government, the financial losses inflicted on Iran as a result of the long-term freezing of Iranian assets and its humanitarian consequences, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Iranian people will never forget that even during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US regime, while ignoring the health emergency and humanitarian issues as well as repeated requests by the UN secretary general and human rights officials, denied Iran access to its financial resources in South Korea.

The Islamic Republic of Iran hereby thanks the government of Qatar for playing an effective role in transferring the assets of Iran and exchanging the prisoners.

We also appreciate the valuable efforts of the Sultanate of Oman to advance this process and also the Swiss government’s cooperation and assistance in facilitating all this.