Frozen Assets: How many countries funds has the US frozen?: During the recently held high-level peace talks in Islamabad, Iran's frozen assets emerged as a major and contentious issue. According to some media reports, the United States has agreed to unfreeze approximately $6 billion in Iranian funds deposited in Qatar and other foreign banks. However, the White House immediately refuted these claims.
The Sanctions Regime and Global Reach-
The United States currently imposes financial sanctions on more than 20 countries and several regions worldwide. These sanctions are enforced through its financial control system. This involves freezing government assets, restricting bank accounts, and blocking international financial transactions.
Which Countries' Assets Have Been Frozen?
Several countries have faced the freezing of their assets—either wholly or partially—by the United States. Following the Russia-Ukraine war, approximately $300 billion in reserves belonging to Russia's Central Bank were frozen by the U.S. and its Western allies. This stands as one of the largest financial actions in recent history.
Iran remains one of the most heavily affected nations. An estimated $100 billion to $120 billion of its assets are currently frozen globally. Of this amount, approximately $2 billion is held directly within the United States. Following the Taliban's rise to power, over $7 billion in funds belonging to Afghanistan's Central Bank were also frozen.
North Korea's assets have long been frozen under sanctions related to terrorism and nuclear proliferation activities. Similarly, Venezuela has faced sanctions on billions of dollars in funds and gold reserves due to ongoing political instability. Furthermore, countries such as Libya, Syria, Cuba, and Sudan have also remained under the purview of U.S. sanctions for extended periods.
What is India's Status?
India is not included in this list of countries. It is considered a major strategic partner, and its financial system is not subject to any sanctions. However, there have been some limited actions involving Indian entities. In 2023, the U.S. froze approximately $26 million linked to certain Indian diamond companies involved in imports from Russia. Furthermore, in 2025, following a review conducted under the "America First" policy, certain foreign aid funds were temporarily suspended.
