The $6 Billion Lie? U.S. Crushes Iranian Claims of Secret Payoff to Open Strait of Hormuz
Iran claims the U.S. agreed to unfreeze $6 billion in assets to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but Washington issues a flat denial as high-stakes peace talks collapse.
Iranian sources claimed Saturday that the United States had agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets, including up to $6 billion held in Qatar, as a goodwill gesture directly tied to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, but a senior U.S. official immediately and flatly denied any such agreement existed.
According to an exclusive Reuters report, a senior Iranian source said Washington had agreed to release frozen Iranian assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks. The source described the purported move as a sign of U.S. “seriousness” in reaching a deal during proximity talks in Islamabad and explicitly stated that unfreezing the assets was “directly linked to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.”
A second Iranian source told Reuters the United States had agreed to release $6 billion of frozen Iranian funds held by Qatar.
The funds in question are Iranian oil revenues that were originally transferred to restricted accounts in Qatar as part of a 2023 prisoner swap but have remained largely inaccessible since the Biden administration re-imposed restrictions following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
However, a senior U.S. official swiftly rejected the claims, telling reporters the assertion was “False.” The official added that the high-stakes meetings in Islamabad had not even started at the time of the Iranian claims.
The conflicting statements emerged on the first full day of U.S.-Iran proximity talks in Pakistan, which were aimed at solidifying a fragile ceasefire and addressing broader issues including Iran’s nuclear program and regional security. The talks ultimately stretched for nearly 21 hours before collapsing without a breakthrough, with major sticking points including long-term restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
No U.S. assets have been released as of April 13, 2026, and the White House has not confirmed any goodwill gestures or side deals.