President Masoud Pezeshkian announced Monday that $6 billion of Iranian assets held in Qatar will be released and returned to Iran, calling an interim deal with the United States "a great victory for the Iranian people" even as weekend attacks across the Persian Gulf raised questions about Tehran's commitment to the fragile agreement. The claim came amid conflicting signals from both sides about whether negotiations would continue.
Pezeshkian said in comments published by the state-run IRNA news agency that "based on the plans made, $6 billion out of the total $12 billion of Iranian resources in Qatar will be released and returned to the country, and necessary follow-ups are being carried out." He didn't elaborate. U.S. officials, however, say no frozen Iranian assets have been released, and Qatar hasn't acknowledged any such transfer. The discrepancy suggests Pezeshkian's announcement may be aimed at selling the interim deal to a domestic audience skeptical of any agreement with Washington.
Confusion Over Diplomatic Timeline
President Donald Trump said on social media that Iran had requested a meeting with U.S. counterparts and that talks would happen Tuesday in Doha, Qatar. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, are flying to Qatar for the meeting. But Kazem Gharibabadi, a senior negotiator for Iran, denied any talks had been scheduled. He told IRNA that "reports by some media about technical talks by the working groups being held in Doha are not confirmed."
The U.S. and Iran agreed to an interim deal earlier this month that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium. It also waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country while opening the Strait of Hormuz and giving each side 60 days to hammer out broader agreements. The deal was meant to ease a global energy crisis caused by Iran's attacks and threats that stopped cargo ships and tankers from moving through the strait during the war that began Feb. 28.
Attacks Threaten Fragile Agreement
In recent days, Iran has twice attacked vessels in the strait, including a tanker filled with Qatari crude, after efforts to open Oman's territorial waters to both inbound and outbound traffic from the Persian Gulf. The attacks drew retaliatory American airstrikes and raised concerns that negotiations to reach a formal end to the war could be disrupted. Iran launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday. The timing of the strikes—just days after the interim deal was signed—raised questions about whether Tehran's leadership is unified behind the agreement or whether hardline elements are attempting to sabotage it.
Iran and Oman held a meeting about the strait Monday in Oman. The strait has long been considered an international waterway despite its location in Iran and Oman's territorial waters. Pakistan, a key mediator, has said talks would resume Tuesday. The Trump administration said Sunday that nothing has been canceled and technical talks are on track for the coming days. Technical talks involve lower-level diplomats working on the specifics of any deal that would draw top leaders from Iran and the U.S. back to the table.
Oil Prices and Political Claims
Oil prices fell sharply after the signing of the interim deal. Trump celebrated Monday morning that U.S. oil futures were trading at roughly $69 a barrel, a decrease he credited to the deal. He said the lower prices would help his claims to voters ahead of November elections that inflation was easing. Trump falsely claimed that oil prices are lower than they were before the war. Oil futures in the U.S. were trading at a range of roughly $65 to $66 per barrel before the war began in late February. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at about $72 a barrel before the war began, and rose above $126 per barrel in April. On Monday, Brent traded at around $73.25 a barrel.
Why This Matters:
The conflicting statements from Tehran and Washington reveal the fragility of any diplomatic process with a regime that has repeatedly used negotiations as cover for aggressive actions. Iran's attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz—just days after signing an agreement meant to reopen the waterway—demonstrate the challenge of securing commitments from a government that operates through competing power centers, where hardline Revolutionary Guard commanders can undermine deals made by civilian officials. The interim agreement's 60-day window for broader negotiations creates a narrow opening, but Iran's history of using temporary truces to rearm and reposition suggests skepticism is warranted. If the deal collapses, the global energy market faces renewed volatility, and the U.S. confronts the question of whether economic pressure alone can constrain a regime willing to risk military escalation to maintain regional influence. The confusion over whether talks will even continue this week shows how far both sides remain from any durable settlement.