The White House is preparing to make Iranian assets available to Gulf Arab states to help the countries recover after the conflict caused significant damage throughout the region.
CBS News reported speaking with a source who said that Washington will make Iranian assets accessible for rebuilding US Gulf allies related to any future damage inflicted by Iran. The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, is seeking a way to use Iranian assets to pay for existing damage in the Gulf states.
It’s unclear what Iranian assets the Treasury Department plans to use to rebuild Gulf countries. The US has seized several Iranian tankers over the past two months. Additionally, the US and its allies hold billions of dollars in Iranian funds that are frozen by sanctions.
Using Iranian assets to pay for the Gulf states would likely set back negotiations with Iran. Tehran is also demanding the unfreezing of $24 billion of its frozen assets as part of a deal to end the war.
Tehran views the Gulf Arab states as a part of the conflict. The US has military bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Iran has responded to attacks on its infrastructure by attacking energy sites in Gulf states.
While President Donald Trump continues to claim that Iran is close to signing a deal with Iran, Tehran and Washington appear far apart on key issues, including sanctions relief and the unfreezing of Iranian assets.
