Release of Baqer Namazi Unrelated to Unfreezing of Iranian Assets: Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s decision to release Iranian-American dual national Baqer Namazi on humanitarian grounds has nothing to do with the unfreezing of Iranian assets held abroad due to US sanctions, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Monday, Nasser Kanaani said Baqer Namazi has been released on humanitarian grounds, although he has not been held in prison and was only banned from leaving Iran.
The spokesman explained that the release of the dual national is unrelated to financial issues or the unfreezing of the Iranian assets.
“Iran has not tied this issue to any other subject, as such a development (release of Namazi) could have happened earlier,” Kanaani added.
On the unfreezing of Iranian assets held in South Korea due to US sanctions, the spokesman said Iran has always made efforts to have access to its financial resources.
“The governments holding our national capital are duty bound to release Iran’s national assets, and should not relate the unfreezing of our resources to any other issue,” he stated.
Kanaani noted that progress has been achieved in the course of negotiations to unblock Iran’s assets held abroad.
Reports on Saturday had suggested that South Korea would release more than $7 billion worth of funds that it has deposited into accounts in two of its banks to settle energy debts to Iran.
The reports claimed that the release would be processed based on an understanding between Iran and the United States under which Tehran would release American prisoners in return for Washington’s approval of the banking transactions involving Iranian funds in South Korea.