Qatar mediation: US allows $6bn transfer for Iran prisoner swap

The United States waived sanctions to allow the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar, a step needed to carry out a previously announced US-Iran prisoner swap, according to a US document, Reuters reports.

According to the report, the broad outlines of the US-Iran deal under which five US citizens detained by Iran would be allowed to leave, in exchange for the transfer of the funds and the release of five Iranians held in the United States were made public on 10 August.

Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, determined that waiving the sanctions was in the national security interests of the United States, the report says.

The report added that the document sent to US congressional committees marks the first time the US government has formally acknowledged it is releasing five Iranians detained in the United States as part of the agreement to secure the freedom of the five US citizens.

READ: US-Iran prisoner swaps, key exchanges in history