Azernews.Az

Iran managed to release some 13 metric tons of gold, worth $700 million which was frozen in South Africa under the international sanctions against Tehran due to its disputed nuclear program, Valiollah Seif, head of Iran’s Central Bank (CBI) said.

The aforementioned gold ,which was blocked in the last two years, was released as a result of nuclear talks with the P5+1 (the United Sated, Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany) and returned to the country in three consignments this week, Seif added.

The latest consignment including four metric tons of gold returned to the country on June 30 and delivered to the CBI treasury, Seif said, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported July 4.
The official further said that the Islamic Republic has imported eight metric tons of gold, worth $400 million in last two years as well.

Currently Iran has no gold blocked abroad, Seif underlined.

As much as $100 billion of Iranian assets, mostly from oil sales, are reportedly blocked overseas under the international sanctions.

Tehran has received some part of the blocked assets under the sanctions relief which it was given after the 2013 interim nuclear deal.

The Islamic Republic will have had nearly $12 billion in assets unfrozen over the course of the nuclear talks by July 7, According to US State Department.

Negotiators from Iran and the P5+1 are working to reach a comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear program in the Austrian city of Vienna.

The two sides have agreed to continue talks to strike a final deal by July 7.

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