• Iran's top diplomat signals that securing access to frozen overseas assets is a key goal in talks with the US.
  • US officials insist any relief will be staged and conditional, not a blanket unfreezing of funds.
  • Negotiations remain technical and stepwise, with risks of stalemate if political demands harden.

Stalled Talks Over Frozen Assets

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Baghaei, said on Thursday that the United States will commit itself to granting Iran access to its frozen funds, though he clarified that Washington will not give Tehran any money directly. The statement came amid ongoing negotiations between the two countries over a potential interim agreement aimed at easing tensions while maintaining sanctions compliance.

According to people familiar with the matter, the talks revolve around how much of Iran's blocked assets—estimated at tens of billions of dollars—could be released immediately versus over time. Western officials have emphasized that any relief would be tied to verifiable compliance by Iran and would be staged to prevent sanctions circumvention.

"The negotiations are focused on humanitarian access and staged releases," one person close to the discussions said. "Without a clear framework, the risk of backsliding remains high."

Economic and Market Implications

Any progress on unfreezing assets would boost Iran's liquidity, allowing it to import more goods and stabilize its banking sector. Global oil markets and currency markets are also watching closely, given Iran's energy position. However, analysts caution that substantial gaps remain between the two sides.

"A credible pathway to humanitarian access could reduce pressure on the rial and support regional economic stability," said a senior economist at a Gulf-based think tank. "But if negotiations stall, we could see renewed volatility."

Political Context and Precedent

The talks occur within a complex web of US sanctions policy and Iranian demands for broader relief. European diplomats are also involved, seeking a broader regional stability framework. Previous rounds of discussions have seen limited or conditional access granted, but those arrangements have been contingent and evolving.

"Any interim deal would need to be tied to monitorable steps," said a former US official familiar with the talks. "It could set a precedent for sanctions relief linked to discrete actions, rather than broad policy reversals."

Efforts to reach representatives from the US State Department were not immediately successful. An Iranian official declined to comment further.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the role of the European Union in the talks. The EU is participating as a mediator, not a direct party.