Iran's Khamenei Advisor Links Nuclear Deal Prospects to Release of $24 Billion in Frozen Assets

A senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader has placed a significant condition on the path toward a potential accord with the United States: the unfreezing of $24 billion in Iranian assets currently held abroad.

Mohsen Rezaei, who advises the Iranian leadership, emphasized that any breakthrough between Tehran and Washington depends on the Trump administration's willingness to release these withheld funds. According to reporting by CNN, Rezaei stressed that the blocked Iranian assets represent a fundamental prerequisite for achieving mutual understanding between the two nations.

The Iranian official's remarks refer to substantial sums of oil revenues and financial holdings that have been locked in foreign accounts as a consequence of comprehensive US and international sanctions regimes.

These comments emerge as indirect diplomatic channels between the two countries remain active, with discussions centered on resolving multiple contentious matters. The regional environment has been marked by escalating military and political tensions, yet there are indications that both sides may be inching toward new arrangements.

The question of frozen Iranian funds stands among the most intractable points of contention separating the two governments. For years, Tehran has sought the liberation of billions in assets trapped in countries around the world. Conversely, Washington has maintained that any sanctions relief or asset release must be contingent upon Iranian compliance across various strategic domains.

This demand surfaces as the United States continues its campaign of economic pressure targeting Iran. On Friday, the Treasury Department announced additional sanctions focusing on entities engaged in energy commerce and operations within Iran's banking sector.

Neither the White House nor the State Department has issued any official response to Rezaei's comments or clarified the degree to which the frozen assets matter factors into the current round of indirect talks between the two capitals.