The US and Iran are preparing for a second round of negotiations, but Donald Trump is not going to unfreeze $20 billion in exchange for enriched uranium. At the same time, the exact amount of assets is a subject of dispute, but a sum of over $100 billion is mentioned, UNN reports with reference to an investigation by Al Jazeera.
Details
Frederick Schneider, a non-resident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said that this is a very significant amount, especially for a society that has suffered for decades from US-imposed sanctions.
Iran's frozen funds have been identified in the following countries:
- China: at least $20 billion;
- India: about $7 billion;
- Iraq and Qatar: $6 billion in each country;
- USA: approximately $2 billion directly in American banks;
- EU: $1.6 billion;
- Japan: about $1.5 billion.
Roxanne Farmanfarmaian, Academic Director at Cambridge University, believes that unfreezing assets will allow Iran to combat inflation and modernize infrastructure.
At the same time, political scientist Chris Featherstone from York University believes that the US move to unfreeze assets would send a powerful diplomatic signal.
Recall
Iran denied claims by US President Donald Trump about its alleged readiness to transfer enriched uranium to the United States.