clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 ( yarn ios : build failure )

Question

React native project is initialized with react-native-cli and version 0.71 for react native. I run commands:

pod deintegrate --> success
pod setup --> success
pod install --> success
yarn ios --> build fails

I see the following error

ld: library not found for -lPods-proj
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 

command

react-native link

does not work as it is not required. Linking part is said to be automatically taken care of in latest versions of react native. I see same question asked in the past for older versions and solution 1 points to the use of above command.But, it is not solution for latest react native .

Here is the link for solutions tried

solution1 and solution2

I need help to resolve this with the latest version of xcode and react native.

Note: that a blank new project with react native cli runs successfully. But this is an existing android project that I am trying to run on ios