In this file photo released on Aug 11, 2022, by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani speaks in Tehran, Iran. (PHOTO / IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY VIA AP)

TEHRAN - Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that the country has access to its recently released $6 billion deposited in Qatari banks and can use the money to meet its needs.

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He made the remarks at a weekly press conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, while reacting to bids by the US Congress to block Iran's access to the money released by South Korea earlier this year under a prisoner swap agreement between Tehran and Washington, by accusing Iran of "playing a role in the Hamas attack on Israel".

It is unacceptable that the US Congress is turning a blind eye to the crimes against the Palestinian people, putting the blame on Iran and seeking to wriggle out of its legal commitments toward the Iranian government and people. 

Nasser Kanaani, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman

Kanaani said that within the framework of its international commitments and the indirect agreement it reached with Tehran, the US government was duty-bound to honor and fulfill its obligations with regard to Iran's released assets.

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He also stressed that "it is unacceptable that the US Congress is turning a blind eye to the crimes against the Palestinian people, putting the blame on Iran and seeking to wriggle out of its legal commitments toward the Iranian government and people".

The US House of Representatives passed a bipartisan measure on Thursday that would reportedly block Iran's access to the released money.

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Iran and the United States reached an agreement that eventually led to a prisoner swap in September, releasing five detainees from each side. As part of the agreement, Iran transferred 6-billion-dollar of its assets frozen in two South Korean banks to six Iranian accounts in two Qatari banks.

While voicing support for Palestinians, Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected any involvement in the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct 7.