The US denies agreeing to unfreeze assets, while Iran says the conditions for negotiations have not been met.

According to reports, Iranian sources claim that the United States has agreed to unfreeze Iran's overseas assets. However, the latest statement from the White House denies the reports of agreeing to unfreeze the assets. Meanwhile, CCTV News earlier also cited Iranian sources stating that Iran's conditions for starting negotiations, including unfreezing frozen assets and a ceasefire in Lebanon, have not been met. On April 11, according to CCTV International, Iranian sources revealed to Reuters that the United States has agreed to unfreeze Iran's assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks. CCTV International News now reports that US White House officials deny the reports of agreeing to unfreeze Iran's assets. Earlier, according to CCTV News, on the 11th, Iranian sources stated that Iran's conditions for starting negotiations, such as unfreezing frozen assets and a ceasefire in Lebanon, have not been met. Furthermore, according to Xinhua International, a Pakistani government official stated on the 11th that the negotiations between Iran and the United States are progressing slower than expected and may take longer. Currently, the US seems eager to achieve a certain goal while Iran is not in a hurry to finalize the negotiations. At the same time, CCTV News cited Pakistani officials as saying that Pakistan is working hard to facilitate direct negotiations between the US and Iran. If direct negotiations cannot be held, Pakistan will act as an intermediary for indirect communication. The negotiations are expected to last for one day. Iranian sources: The US has agreed to unfreeze Iran's overseas assets! According to Reuters, senior Iranian sources stated that these assets are "held in Qatar and other foreign banks." Tehran sees this as a test of goodwill and a sign of seriousness in reaching a lasting peace agreement. The unfreezing of assets is also "directly related to ensuring the safe passage of the Strait of Hormuz," which is an important prerequisite before reaching any lasting peace agreement. The US has not publicly commented on the unfreezing of assets. The sources also revealed that the issue of unfreezing assets is directly linked to ensuring smooth navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, which is expected to be one of the core topics of this round of negotiations. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy transit route, and its safe passage has a significant impact on the international oil market. However, according to CCTV News, on the 11th, Iranian sources stated that conditions set by Iran for starting negotiations, including unfreezing frozen assets and a ceasefire in Lebanon, have not been met. Iran temporarily adds "new conditions" As mentioned in a previous article by Wall Street View, Iranian Parliament Speaker Kalibaf publicly raised two prerequisite conditions on social media last Friday - a ceasefire in Lebanon and the unfreezing of Iran's frozen assets - with unfreezing assets seen as a new condition publicly raised by Iran. Media reports point out that Iranian officials have mainly focused on demanding Israel to stop military actions in Lebanon, and mentioning the unfreezing of assets publicly is a new prerequisite condition set by Iran. Kalibaf's reference is likely to be about around $6 billion in Iranian oil sales revenue - the funds were deposited in Qatar from the autumn of 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the US and Iran, but the Biden administration froze Iran's access to the funds after Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to the Wall Street Journal, Crisis Group Iran Project Director Ali Vaez believes that Kalibaf's "raising the stakes" on the eve of negotiations is likely to reinforce Iran's core demand to urge Israel to stop its attacks on Hezbollah. However, he warned that this strategy carries risks of backfiring: "Iran is indeed adept at tough negotiations, but often loses flexibility when it must show it, leading to missed opportunities more than substantial gains." US-Iran Islamic Republic negotiations, a rare high-level direct contact in decades US Vice President Pence led a delegation of about 300 people to Islamabad, while the Iranian side was headed by Speaker of the Islamic Council, Mohammed Kalibaf. Before the negotiations, Kalibaf posted on social media accusing the US of violating pre-negotiation agreements - involving a ceasefire in Lebanon and unfreezing Iran's frozen assets, saying "these two things must be resolved before negotiations begin." Trump immediately responded aggressively on social media, stating that "Iranians seem to be unaware that they have no leverage anymore." According to Daily Economic News, the negotiations took place at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad. This five-star marble building with an Islamic palace-style atmosphere is quiet and serene, with around 110 rooms that can accommodate over 400 guests. The Pakistani government took over the hotel several days in advance and requested all guests to vacate by 5 p.m. on the 8th. It is reported that both the US and Iran will occupy one wing of the hotel each to avoid encounters in the corridors between delegation members. Pakistan plays a crucial mediating role in the negotiations. Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, Chief of Army Staff Munir, and Interior Minister Naqvi personally welcomed the US delegation at the airport, with Dar expressing hope that all parties will engage constructively and reiterating Pakistan's willingness to continue to push for a lasting and sustainable solution. The format of the negotiations is also uncertain. Pakistani government sources mentioned that both the US and Iran have made various arrangements for the negotiations, including "face-to-face" and "back-to-back" formats, and Pakistan is prepared to facilitate direct talks between the two parties or act as an intermediary to convey messages. According to Iranian sources, the negotiations may only last for one day. This article is reproduced from the "Wall Street View" APP, author: Dong Jing, GMTEight editor: Song Zhiying.