Iran Receives 5.73 Billion Euros Of Freed Funds In Qatari Banks

As the world expects a prisoner swap between Iran and the United States on Monday, Iran's central bank announced that the $6 billion released by South Korea was received on Monday.

Mohammad-Reza Farzin, the chairman of the Central Bank of Iran was quoted by the government's IRNA news website that the funds exchanged into euros totaled 5.73 billion and was transferred to six Iranian held accounts in two Qatari banks.

The United States and Iran announced a deal to release the blocked funds from South Korea in August in exchange for the release of five US citizens held hostage by the Islamic Republic.

Early on Monday, South Korea said it was doing everything to transfer the two full amount that had already been sent to Switzerland to be converted. Later, Iran's foreign ministry said the five prisoners were expected to be released on Monday.

The freed Americans will travel to Qatar and from there will be repatriated. Qatar has acted as mediator in the controversial deal, which has been dubbed by critics as the highest hostage ransom in history, amounting to $1.2 billion per individual.