A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the U.S. government is considering directing Iranian assets toward reconstruction efforts and repairing damage caused by Iran in Gulf countries, amid a new wave of Iranian drone attacks and regional tensions.
According to the source, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has tasked a team with assessing the costs of damage already inflicted on U.S. allies in the Gulf. The United States is also reportedly examining the possibility of using Iranian assets to finance repairs for any future destruction.
The revelation came a day after Mohsen Rezaee, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, told CNN that any peace agreement would depend on the release of $24 billion in Iranian assets frozen by the United States.
The source did not specify which types of Iranian assets were being considered, and the language used suggested the proposal may extend beyond currently frozen assets.
Renewed Tensions Despite Ongoing Peace Efforts
The proposal risks creating fresh friction in the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has come under renewed strain following recent military exchanges.
U.S. forces reportedly struck Iranian coastal radar sites in Gorouk and on Qeshm Island overlooking the Strait of Hormuz after intercepting drones that U.S. Central Command said posed a threat to maritime traffic.
The U.S. military later stated that it had shot down two Iranian drones threatening navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it retaliated by targeting U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwaiti authorities reported intercepting seven ballistic missiles, which caused material damage but no casualties.
In Bahrain, air raid sirens sounded and residents were instructed to seek shelter. Both Kuwait and Bahrain condemned the attacks.
Pakistan’s Mediation Efforts
Iranian state media reported that Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran carrying what was described as a “special message” from Pakistan’s military leadership and prime minister to Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The United States and Iran continue indirect negotiations aimed at reaching a temporary agreement to halt the three-month conflict, although major issues—including Iran’s nuclear program—would be deferred to later talks.
Iran is reportedly seeking access to oil revenues, sanctions relief, the lifting of restrictions on its ports, and greater control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments typically pass.
Regional Dimension
In a parallel development, the Lebanese Army announced that two officers and a soldier were killed in an Israeli strike on a military vehicle in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident.
Iran has linked any broader peace arrangement with Washington to a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Lebanese Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal traveled to Pakistan on an official visit, a move viewed as significant amid ongoing regional diplomatic efforts.
Source: Reuters
