The U.S. has approved a $ 6 billion write-off of Iran's assets

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issued an order authorizing the transfer of $ 6 billion of Iran's frozen assets from South Korea to Qatar as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the U.S. and Iran. This was reported by the AP and Reuters on September 12, citing a notice received by the U.S. Congress.

Under the general terms of the agreement between Washington and Tehran, five American citizens detained by Iran will be allowed to leave the country in exchange for the unblocking of assets and the release of five Iranians held in the United States, Reuters writes. The notice to Congress officially confirmed for the first time that U.S. officials would release five Iranians as part of an agreement to release their citizens from prison in Iran.

Iran can spend funds from the bloc only for humanitarian needs

As noted in the document, the transferred funds will be given to Iran only for humanitarian purposes. According to eight Reuters sources familiar with the negotiations, a $ 6 billion transfer and prisoner exchange could take place the following week. 

Iran had placed four U.S. citizens under house arrest from a prison in Tehran in August. Blinken called this the beginning of the process that would lead to their return home. Among those who plan to return the US from Iran are entrepreneurs Siamak Namaziy and Emad East, as well as environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, Reuters writes. Two other people were not revealed. The agencies were unable to determine who Washington would hand over to Tehran.