UAE denies claims of freeing Iranian assets

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): The UAE Foreign Ministry denied media reports in a statement that it had agreed to release billions of dollars in Iranian assets.

The statement clarified that none of Iran’s assets had been released, transferred or moved. Earlier, Reuters news agency, citing four informed sources, claimed that the UAE had agreed to release billions of dollars in Iranian assets in a tactical shift.

Reuters news agency wrote that the previously unreported move comes as broader talks between Tehran and Washington to end the war are in the final stages.

Diplomats told Reuters that the talks could lead to the release of tens of billions of dollars in Iranian oil revenues frozen in foreign banks under US sanctions.

The British media outlet, citing two sources in the region, claimed that the UAE had agreed to release a total of $10 billion, of which more than $3 billion had already been delivered.

Meanwhile, two other sources familiar with the deal put the total amount of assets at $20 billion, adding that the move was in return for Iran halting attacks on the UAE.

One of the sources also confirmed that the first installment of $3 billion had already been made available to Iran.

“The UAE denies reports by some international media outlets that money has been transferred from the UAE to the Islamic Republic of Iran, including claims of $3 billion,” the UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement.