Iran, US hold ‘intensive talks’ on prisoner swap, release of frozen assets

TEHRAN (AA) – Iran and the US have held “intensive talks” in recent weeks mediated by “a regional country” regarding a prisoner swap and the release of Iran’s frozen assets abroad, according to Nour News, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s top security body.

It also said the release of Iran’s frozen foreign exchange reserves will also take place “in the same framework,” with Iran introducing new accounts for the purpose.

The issue of prisoners has been one of the key sticking points in Vienna nuclear talks.

At least four American nationals with dual nationalities have been held in Iran for years on various charges, including espionage. Some Iranians are also jailed in the US, primarily for bypassing sanctions.

The report came minutes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a Twitter post said his country “will never stop working until all US nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained around the world are home,” while announcing the release of seven Americans detained in Venezuela.

In August, Iran’s Foreign Ministry had called on Washington to release Iranian nationals held in US jails and to address the issue independent of the ongoing talks to salvage the nuclear deal.

The ministry expressed Iran’s readiness to implement an existing agreement with the US on a prisoner swap, urging the Biden administration to not set “pre-conditions.”

Meanwhile, as reported by Nour News, Iran’s blocked assets overseas, mainly in South Korea, are also likely to be released as part of the agreement being worked out.

Tehran said more than $7 billion in foreign exchange reserves have been blocked by Seoul under US pressure, which has led to strains in ties over the years.