Ahead of US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad on Friday, Iran's primary demand is expected to be the release of its frozen assets abroad, estimated to exceed $100 billion. These assets, accumulated through foreign currency accounts with global banks, have been inaccessible due to successive US sanctions, severely impacting Iran's currency and trade capabilities. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged the US intentionally created a dollar shortage in Iran to catalyze protests, highlighting the economic pressure exerted. Historically, Iran has regained partial access to frozen funds, notably after the 2014 interim nuclear deal and the 2015 JCPOA, but these were re-frozen by President Trump in 2018. The current negotiations will likely hinge on the US willingness to unfreeze these funds, with significant reserves reportedly held in countries like South Korea and Japan.