Tehran, Doha reach 'good understanding' on release of $6bn in Iranian assets

The Iranian president held talks with the Saudi foreign minister in Doha hours after Tehran launched a massive missile attack on Israeli military sites  

News Desk - The Cradle 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ended a two-day visit to Qatar by announcing that the two sides reached a “good understanding” on the disbursement of $6 billion in Iranian assets that were withheld by Doha after their release from South Korean banks last year.

“In Qatar, we have $6 billion in assets. The issue was discussed during a meeting between the governors of the two countries’ central banks, as well as the meeting with the Qatari Emir; We reached a good understanding in this regard,” Pezeshkian said on 3 October upon his return to Tehran.

In September 2023, Qatar received $6 billion in Iranian funds previously held by South Korea as part of a successful prisoner exchange deal with the US. 

Although the funds were transferred to the Qatari accounts of several Iranian banks, US media reported that Washington reached a “quiet understanding” with Qatar to stop the Islamic Republic from accessing them in the wake of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in October 2023.

Pezeshkian led a high-level delegation to the Gulf monarchy to take part in the 19th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit and an extraordinary meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“The [GCC] foreign ministers … held a meeting to discuss the situation in the region, Gaza and Lebanon. A good understanding was reached with Arab foreign ministers about resolving any problems between us or the disputes that existed, and this process can continue,” Pezeshkian announced.

During his stay in Doha, the Iranian president held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss “the latest regional and international developments,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.

“We will eventually reach a point where we have a common language and vision with neighboring countries and can lead the world with one voice [toward] where we want to go and make Israel stop its crimes and massacres. I hope we can lead the region to peace and security and achieve harmony, compassion, and unity among Islamic countries,” Pezeshkian said.

On Wednesday night, Pezeshkian sat down with a senior delegation from the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

According to a Hamas statement, the two sides discussed “the overall political and field developments related to the Palestinian cause, particularly the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.”

The Iranian president's visit to Qatar came hours after Tehran launched a massive missile attack on multiple military sites across Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah last week and Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this year.