Washington - The United States is set to release approximately $6 billion in previously frozen Iranian assets and has signaled its intention to release five Iranian prisoners currently held in American prisons. This significant development was formally communicated to Congress by the Biden administration on September 11, marking a notable sign of decreasing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Before this announcement, Tehran had taken the step of transferring five American citizens from Evin prison in Iran to house arrest. Western media has interpreted this move as the initial stage of a larger arrangement that Washington hopes will eventually lead to formal discussions concerning Iran's nuclear program.

The process of the US-Iran prisoner exchange is expected to unfold as follows: the five Americans currently in Iran may return to the United States this month, contingent upon the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian oil revenue from South Korea, according to a report by the Financial Times.

The official announcement on Monday confirmed that the deal includes the release of five Iranian prisoners, although their identities have not yet been disclosed.

A spokesperson from the US State Department explained, "The US has agreed to allow the transfer of funds from South Korea to restricted accounts in financial institutions in Qatar and the release of five Iranian nationals currently detained in the United States to facilitate the release of five US citizens detained in Iran."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken granted a waiver last week that permits the transfer of funds from South Korea, with the stipulation that these funds must be used exclusively for humanitarian purposes.

Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the US National Security Council, emphasized that this step is part of an ongoing effort to secure the release of five Americans unjustly detained, highlighting the sensitivity of the process.

Since the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 under former President Trump, Iran has been unable to access a significant portion of its oil funds held in foreign central banks. However, recent months have seen a renewed push to address Iran's nuclear program, gaining momentum in diplomatic efforts.