A senior United States official on Saturday denied a report that Washington had agreed to release Iran’s frozen assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks. The denial came as Iranian and US delegations arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan for talks aimed at ending hostilities in the Middle East.

The United States has not made any public comments on the issue of unfreezing assets. The denial follows a report quoting a senior Iranian source who claimed the US had agreed to release Iranian funds frozen in Qatar and elsewhere, describing the move as a sign of “seriousness” ahead of the Islamabad talks. The source, who declined to be named, told Reuters the unfreezing was “directly linked to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz”, which is expected to be a key issue in the negotiations. 

The talks opened Friday, April 10, 2026, under Pakistani mediation, during a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran has “goodwill but no trust” in the US ahead of the discussions, and signaled readiness for a “real deal” if Iran’s rights are recognized.

Iran’s National Security Council said its 10-point proposal includes lifting of sanctions, release of frozen Iranian assets abroad, and Iranian oversight of the Strait of Hormuz. The council added that Tehran agreed to talks “with complete distrust of the American side”.

The US and Iran agreed to the ceasefire on April 8, 2026. US President Donald Trump said the pause allows time to finalize a “definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran”. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would cease “defensive operations” if attacks on the country are halted.