IMI denies asset thawing rumors, each side sticking to their story; reports suggest it concerns the Strait of Hormuz transit arrangements.

ME News Report, April 12 (UTC+8), on April 11 local time, an Iranian senior source stated that the United States has agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, but U.S. officials quickly denied this claim. The Iranian source said this move is seen as a signal of “sincerity” from the U.S. in negotiations in Islamabad, and noted that unfreezing the funds is one of Iran’s key conditions for engaging with the U.S. The source also pointed out that the issue of funds “directly relates to” the safe passage arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz. Another Iranian source claimed that the U.S. agreed to unfreeze approximately $6 billion. The U.S. reiterated that the relevant funds are still restricted and can only be used for humanitarian purposes such as food, medicine, and agricultural supplies, emphasizing that Iran cannot freely access these funds in the short term. (Jin10) (Source: BlockBeats)