US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated on Tuesday that the United States believes an understanding regarding the eventual release of five American citizens by Iran is still in place, although he refrained from providing any specific timeline. Sullivan told reporters during a call, "We believe things are moving according to the understanding we reached with Iran. I do not have a precise timeline for you because there are steps that call for not disclosing them now. But we believe that understanding is still in place."
This is the first step of an agreement that will unfreeze $6 billion of Iranian funds in South Korea and will ultimately allow the five to leave Iran. Among the Iranian-Americans who were allowed to leave Evin prison on August 10 are businessman Siamak Namazi (51) and Emad Sharqi (58), as well as environmental activist Morad Tahbaz (67), who also holds British citizenship. The identity of the fourth American citizen who left prison or the fifth who was already under house arrest has not been disclosed.
**Ukraine**
In a separate context, Sullivan stated that "the United States does not see the conflict in Ukraine as having reached a deadlock." He said, "We have been clear all along when we said that the battlefield is very dynamic... There are attacks and defenses on both sides at multiple points along the lengthy frontline." He added, "We see Ukraine continuing to seize territory in a systematic and organized manner."
