Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Iran receives two more portions of the frozen assets that were promised as part of an interim nuclear deal between the country and P5+1 group.

The Central Bank of Iran says the fourth and fifth installments of the $4.2-billion blocked funds have been transferred to its designated account, Press TV reported.

The Public Relations Department of the Central Bank of Iran said the fourth and fifth portions of payment for Iran crude oil exports totaling one billion dollars have already been deposited into the bank's account in the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates.

On April 18, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said the fifth portion of Iran's frozen oil revenues had been released.

The remarks came one day after U.S. Department of State spokeswoman, Marie Harf, announced that Washington had taken steps to release the $ 450 million after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that Iran remains in line with its commitments.

The IAEA confirmed in its monthly report on April 17 that Tehran has fulfilled all its contractual obligations so far.

Out of the $ 4.2 billion of the frozen Iranian oil revenues that are to return to Tehran under the November 2013 deal, $ 2.55 billion has been deposited to the Central Bank of Iran account so far.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain - plus Germany reached an interim nuclear deal in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24, 2013.

Under the Joint Plan of Action, the six powers agreed to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Tehran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period.

Iran's Vice President for Planning and Strategic Supervision Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said on April 14 that the $ 4.2 billion dollars were returned to Iran in five tranches.

He said the administrative process for returning Iran's frozen assets and fulfilling the interim nuclear deal's obligations was lengthy, but Iran has finally received the funds in full and can use them in development projects.

Iran and the six powers held the next round of the expert-level talks on Tehran's nuclear energy program in New York on May 6-7.

The negotiations were held ahead of a fresh round of high-level nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 group, scheduled to begin in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on May 13.