The United Arab Emirates government has officially denied recent international media reports claiming it agreed to transfer billions of dollars to Iran in exchange for halting attacks on commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf, Reuters and Anadolu Agency reported. The declaration was made in a formal statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, June 13. The ministry clarified that all allegations regarding the release or transfer of frozen Iranian assets are entirely false and groundless. Abu Dhabi urged global news outlets to maintain journalistic integrity and rely strictly on verified state channels before circulating sensitive regional developments.
The official denial followed a special report published by the British news agency Reuters, which cited two regional diplomatic sources. The report alleged that Abu Dhabi had agreed to a package totaling 10 billion dollars to ensure maritime security and avoid military confrontations within the strategic gulf waters. The report additionally claimed that more than 3 billion dollars had already been successfully transferred to Tehran. However, the publication failed to specify whether this massive capital originated from the UAE`s sovereign funds or represented frozen Iranian reserves held within Emirati commercial institutions.
Emirati commercial banks have historically held substantial volumes of Iran-linked financial assets due to extensive cross-border trade relations. However, a major portion of these extensive funds remains strictly blocked due to primary and secondary economic sanctions imposed by Washington against the Iranian government. Under the United States regulatory framework, any foreign financial institution that engages in transactions with blacklisted Iranian individuals or entities risks being completely severed from the American financial system. This immense legal risk has effectively frozen banking channels and financial handovers between the two neighboring countries for several years.
Earlier on April 11, a senior Iranian government official claimed that the United States had quietly agreed to unfreeze certain Iranian assets stored in Qatari and international banking networks. A United States official quickly dismantled that assertion, classifying it as inaccurate political rhetoric. The anonymous Iranian source had told Reuters that the release of these specific assets was fundamentally linked to securing safe passage for international shipping lines through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz remains an exceptionally vital maritime corridor for global energy supplies and sits at the center of ongoing multilateral discussions aimed at ending regional conflicts.
What remains unclear is whether specific political factions or external entities are intentionally orchestrating these unverified reports to disrupt ongoing diplomatic negotiations in the Middle East. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that its long-standing foreign policy remains deeply committed to de-escalating regional tensions, promoting stability, and fostering diplomatic dialogue. The administration requested the public to completely disregard unverified rumors and instead focus exclusively on official press releases verified by state authorities. Ummah Kantho continues to monitor the unfolding geopolitical developments and the legal frameworks surrounding these sensitive international economic channels.
