– Qatar’s Prime Minister met with Iran’s president. During the meeting, the Qatari PM urged Iran to exercise caution in ongoing negotiations over a possible prisoner swap deal between Iran and the U.S.
– The talks concern Iran releasing multiple Western prisoners, including American citizens, in exchange for billions in frozen Iranian funds. Qatar has been mediating between the two sides.
– The Qatari PM said ensuring the release of the prisoners while preventing escalation is a priority. Some uncertainty remains over whether the deal can be finalized given domestic political opposition in both countries.
– The negotiations come as Iran experiences weeks of anti-government protests following the death of a young woman in police custody. Qatar appears to want Iran to avoid actions that could frustrate or backtrack the hostage talks process.
– Both Qatar and Iran have geopolitical interests in seeing the hostage negotiations succeed. But there are competing political forces within Iran that could undermine a final agreement. The Qatari PM urged patience and flexibility.
Source: Times of Israel
