US will have ability to freeze Iranian funds transferred to Qatar if needed

State Department spokesperson says the Treasury Department has strict oversight over the use of Iranian funds being transferred from South Korean to Qatari accounts.

WASHINGTON - If necessary, the United States will have the ability to freeze $6 billion in Iranian funds being transferred from South Korean to Qatari accounts as part of a prisoner swap deal, the State Department said on Tuesday.

"The Treasury Department has strict oversight over the use of those funds. We have visibility into how they are used, and we have the ability to police their use," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, adding that the criterion is that the funds be spent for humanitarian purposes.