Deposit of 490 Million Dollars from Iran's Frozen Assets into Central Bank Account

According to a report from the Central Bank of Iran, the first installment of the third phase of the release of Iran's frozen assets abroad, amounting to 490 million dollars, was deposited into this bank's account on Wednesday, January 1. According to the state news agency IRNA, this amount is part of Iran's frozen assets in South Korea, which has been transferred to the Central Bank of Iran's account in Oman. Based on the agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group during the seven-month extension of nuclear negotiations, it was agreed that by July 1 of next year, 4 billion and 900 million dollars of Iran's frozen assets in foreign banks would be released in installments of 490 million dollars. The deadline for negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group ended on November 24, but the parties extended these discussions for another seven months to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement. Reports indicate that over the past year, following the agreement between Iran and the P5+1 in Geneva, seven billion dollars of Iran's blocked assets in Japan, India, and South Korea have been released in two phases. In recent years, following Western sanctions against the Islamic Republic, Iran's oil sales money has been blocked in some countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea, and Iran still does not have permission to use most of this money. The exact figure of Iran's frozen foreign assets has not been published, but the U.S. government previously estimated this amount to be around 100 billion dollars. Yahya Al-Ishaq, the head of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, also stated on Friday, January 1, that Iran has 'about 100 billion dollars of frozen currency' in countries like China, India, and Japan, but 'cannot use them quickly.' According to Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, the next round of nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 countries will resume on January 15 at the level of deputy foreign ministers. Meanwhile, Marzieh Afkham, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated on Wednesday that the U.S. sanctions against several Iranian companies and individuals represent 'a clear violation of the principle of goodwill' and questioned 'the U.S. willingness to resolve issues.' The U.S. Treasury Department added the names of five Iranians, one Afghan national, and three new companies to the list of Iran sanctions on Tuesday, January 8.