Iran wants $24 billion in frozen assets released before it will advance any deal with Washington. That demand landed the same week US forces were shooting down Iranian missiles and drones aimed at Kuwait, Bahrain, and maritime traffic near the Strait of Hormuz.

The $24 billion demand and the military backdrop

Senior Iranian adviser Mohsen Rezaei framed the asset release as a prerequisite “test of trust” for any progress in US-Iran negotiations. In a June 5 interview with CNN, he warned of a “dark corridor” if hostilities resume.

US forces intercepted Iranian missiles and drones targeting Gulf states and commercial shipping lanes in early June, escalating fears of a broader military confrontation in one of…