TEHRAN – Qatar’s Prime Minister on Friday announced his country is committed to fulfilling a deal with Iran and the U.S. which involves $6 billion of Iranian funds parked in a Qatari bank. 

"Qatar is committed to an agreement and will fulfill its obligations and will not do anything without consultations with our partners," Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, adding that the money will be spent in accordance with the deal.

The U.S. and Iran reached a deal to exchange prisoners in September after some $6 billion of Iranian assets once frozen in South Korea reached Qatar.

The money was brought to the limelight after American media reported “Washington and Doha have agreed to stop Iran from tapping the $6 billion fund” after Hamas successfully carried out an attack on the occupied territories on October 7.

Some American officials ended up confirming the reports.

“None of the funds that have now gone to Qatar have actually been spent or accessed in any way by Iran,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Israel on Thursday when asked about the funds. “Indeed, funds from that account are overseen by the Treasury Department, can only be dispensed for humanitarian goods — food, medicine, medical equipment — and never touch Iranian hands.”

Iran strongly rejected the claims by Americans, saying the news holds no water.

“The news is devoid of veracity, the publication of which would tarnish the credibility of the Washington Post,” the mission announced in a statement on Thursday local time.

It added that the U.S. senators in question and the White House are all “acutely aware that they cannot renege on the agreement,” Press TV reported.

“The money rightfully belongs to the people of Iran, earmarked for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to facilitate the acquisition of all essential and non-sanctioned requisites for the Iranians,” Ali Karimi Magham, an expert at the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, wrote on X. 

While U.S. intelligence agencies have failed to find any evidence pointing to Iran’s involvement in the Hamas attack, hawkish republican politicians have been pressuring the Biden administration to block Iran’s access to the freed assets.

Taking a look at Washington’s history, the U.S. seems to be comfortable with not keeping its side of the bargain. It infamously withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 which was a deal reached between Iran and the 5+1 group of countries in 2015.

The deal involved Tehran limiting its nuclear program with anti-Iran sanctions getting terminated in return.

MHA