Iran Press/ Asia: The unnamed South Korean Foreign Ministry official told Yonhap on Tuesday that given the US green light to the country to sell the corona vaccine to Iran, Tehran and Seoul are discussing the release of frozen Iranian money in Korean banks.
According to South Korean banks on Tuesday, about 10 trillion won ($ 9.2 billion) of Iranian money has been frozen in South Korean banks due to US sanctions.
Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday: "Since September 2009, about three trillion won of the Iranian currency has been frozen in a South Korean bank."
Related news:
Iran's senior MP urges S. Korea to release Iran’s frozen assets soon
In addition to the 3 trillion won, about $ 7 billion of Iranian oil money has been frozen in two South Korean banks, the Industrial Bank of Korea and the World Bank.
"Seol had consulted with the US Treasury Department to secure sanctions exemptions for the use of the blocked money after Iran requested that the money be used for humanitarian purposes," Yonhap wrote.
"Although we have received special approval from the United States for this, Iran has not yet made a decision to buy the vaccine due to fears that its currency will be re-blocked during the conversion from won to the dollar," the official said.
Earlier, it was reported that South Korean First Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Jong is scheduled to travel to Tehran Sunday next week to discuss the release of frozen Iranian money.
Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters today about the seizure of a South Korean ship in the Persian Gulf by Iran that if anyone is a hostage-taker, it is the South Korean government that has taken hostage more than $ 7 billion from Iran.
104/207
Read more:
S. Korea trying to remove barriers to trade with Iran
South Korean tanker seized by IRGC in the Persian Gulf
