Iran is seeking the release of about $24 billion in frozen assets as part of Qatar-based talks aimed at easing the conflict with the United States, according to Iranian media reports on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The demand has become a central issue in negotiations taking place in Doha as US-Iran tensions remain high near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Frozen Assets Qatar Talks Focus on $24 Billion Demand
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran wants the asset release included in a proposed 14-point memorandum of understanding. The report cited an unnamed source close to Iran’s negotiating team, saying roughly half of the amount should be made available when the memorandum is announced.
A senior Iranian delegation arrived in Qatar on Monday, May 25, 2026, for discussions on the possible deal. The delegation included Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, according to reports. The presence of Iran’s central bank chief signals that access to frozen funds is a major part of the Doha negotiations.
Tehran Seeks First-Phase Access to $12 Billion
One of Iran’s key demands is access to about $12 billion in the first phase of any arrangement. Iranian media have estimated the country’s total frozen assets abroad at between $100 billion and $123 billion, though there is no official confirmed total.
The issue has a recent diplomatic history. In 2023, about $6 billion in Iranian funds held in South Korean banks was transferred to Qatar as part of a US-Iran prisoner exchange involving five American citizens detained in Iran. Reuters reported that those funds were later restricted after relations worsened following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions Add Pressure
The Qatar talks are unfolding as the United States and Iran trade accusations over military activity near the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported that the US military carried out strikes on Monday, May 25, 2026, in southern Iran against boats attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, describing the action as defensive.
For Washington, the frozen funds question is tied to sanctions, regional security and maritime stability. For Tehran, access to the funds is being framed as a key condition for progress. Any phased asset release would likely remain politically sensitive in the United States, especially if tensions continue near one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
