Home TRENDING THE US AND IRAN ARE GETTING CLOSE TO COMPLETING A PRISONER SWAP...

THE US AND IRAN ARE GETTING CLOSE TO COMPLETING A PRISONER SWAP MEDIATED BY QATAR.

THE US AND IRAN ARE GETTING CLOSE TO COMPLETING A PRISONER SWAP MEDIATED BY QATAR.

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Eight Iranian and other sources familiar with the negotiations told Reuters that when $6 billion of unfrozen Iranian funds are wired to banks in Qatar as early as next week, it will trigger a carefully choreographed sequence that will see as many as five detained US dual nationals leave Iran and a similar number of Iranian prisoners held in the US fly home.

Qatari Assistant Foreign Minister for Regional Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi meets the Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Ali Bagheri, in Tehran, Iran, December 26, 2022. PHOTO: REUTERS

Four Americans were released from Tehran’s Evin jail on August 10 and placed under house arrest, joining a fifth American who had been placed under house arrest previously. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said later that day that the move was the “first step” towards getting them back home.

American officials have named businessmen Siamak Namazi, 51, and Emad Sharqi, 59, and environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, 67, who is also a British citizen. When reached for comment, neither the Tahbaz nor the Shargi family responded. The Namazi family’s attorney said nothing.

The identity of the fourth and fifth Americans, one of whom is reportedly a woman according to two separate reports, remain unknown. Reuters was unable to confirm which Iranian inmates would be exchanged for US ones.

On Monday, Iran expressed confidence that the prisoner swap with the United States would take place “in the near future.”

The tiny but extremely wealthy state of Qatar was at the centre of the negotiations that established this agreement between the superpower Iran labels the “Great Satan” and the Islamic Republic Washington labels a state supporter of terrorism.

At least eight rounds of talks were held in Doha, with Iranian and American negotiators sitting in separate hotels and communicating by shuttle diplomacy, according to a source briefed on the negotiations. The initial sessions focused mostly on the tricky nuclear problem, while the later ones on the prisoner releases.

According to three of the sources, during the prisoner swap, the detainees will pass through Qatar. As part of the financial arrangement, Doha will pay banking fees and monitor how Iran spends the unfrozen funds to ensure that none of the money is used on things subject to US sanctions.

“Iran initially wanted direct access to the funds but in the end agreed to having access via Qatar,” claimed the senior official. “Qatar will pay for Iran’s direct purchases of food and medicine.”

This narrative, compiled by Reuters from previously undisclosed details, describes how the covert talks were mediated by Qatar, how the deal came to fruition, and the pragmatism on both sides that led to the signing of the prisoner swap agreement. Four Iranian officials, two American sources, a senior Western diplomat, an adviser to the administration of the Gulf region, and the individual familiar with the conversations were interviewed by Reuters.

Due to the sensitive nature of an agreement that hasn’t been fully finalised, all of the sources requested anonymity.

The specific date of the prisoner release has not yet been announced, according to a State Department official. A Department representative also said they couldn’t comment since the matter was “an ongoing and highly sensitive negotiation.”

Trust can be established.

The US government has been silent on the subject of when the money will be transferred. On September 5, however, Park Jin, the foreign minister of South Korea, indicated that attempts were being made to move Iran’s funds.

There is a lack of trust in the relationship between the United States and Iran. The State Department official continued, “We judge Iran based on its actions, and nothing else.”

Despite Washington’s approval of South Korean banks’ transfer of Iranian money to Qatari banks’ restricted accounts, no cash are being transported to Iran itself, according to the spokeswoman.

Reuters sought comment from the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the negotiations, Qatar’s role in the talks, and the parameters of the final accord, but received no response.

When asked about this incident during a televised news conference, Nasser Kanaani, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, stated that the Americans will be released on “humanitarian grounds.”

According to the sources, the negotiation resulted in a rare moment of cooperation between the long-time foes, who have been at odds on a wide range of topics, from Iran’s nuclear programme to the US military presence in the Gulf.

 

Since Donald Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran as US president in 2018, tensions have been rising. Since then, President Joe Biden’s efforts to reach another nuclear agreement have stalled as he gets ready for the 2024 US election.

When asked if there had been any shift in Washington’s general strategy towards Iran, the State Department official stated, “which continues to be focused on deterrence, pressure, and diplomacy.”

Once the money is sent, it will be held in restricted accounts in Qatar, and the US will be able to monitor its usage, according to a spokesperson for the State Department.

Some Republicans have charged that by considering such a transfer, Vice President Biden (a Democrat) is essentially paying ransom for American citizens. But Blinken told reporters on August 10 that the deal does not mean that Iran would be getting any sanctions relief, noting that Washington would continue to push back “resolutely” against Iran’s destabilising activities in the area.

According to the source familiar with the negotiations, the Qatari-led mediation gained steam in June 2023. Since March 2022, at least eight rounds of talks were held, with earlier rounds focusing mostly on the nuclear issue and later rounds focusing on prisoners.

As a result, the focus has turned from nuclear (discussion) to detainees. Using prisoners is easier. It’s simple to acquire, and once you have it, trust comes easily. The situation resumed its serious tone at this point.

Inmates are slated to go through Qatar.

According to Iranian, diplomatic, and regional sources, after the funds arrive in Qatar from South Korea via Switzerland, officials in Qatar would direct Tehran and Washington to proceed with the releases in accordance with a protocol agreed by all parties in late July or early August. No one at Reuters has viewed the file yet.

If everything goes as planned, the transfer to Qatari banks could be completed as soon as next week. The banks concerned could not be determined by Reuters.

According to a person familiar with the negotiations, “American prisoners will fly to Qatar from Tehran, and Iranian prisoners will fly from the US to Qatar, and then be transferred to Iran.”

The most difficult aspect of the negotiations, as reported by two Iranian insiders (a source briefed on the talks and a senior Western diplomat), was setting up a mechanism to ensure openness in the money transfer and respect for US sanctions. U.S. oil and banking sanctions against Iran were so severe that they froze $6 billion in Iranian assets, mostly from oil sales. The sanctions were reinstated in 2018 when President Trump withdrew the United States from a deal that had limited Iran’s nuclear programme.

Discussions centred on gaining guarantees from Qatar over its monitoring of the process and ensuring that Iran spent the money only on humanitarian products.

According to Reuters, an Iranian insider with knowledge of the negotiations said that Qatar had promised to pay for the banking fees associated with transferring the monies from Seoul to Switzerland and then to Qatari institutions.

A second Iranian insider and the source briefed on the talks stated that the governors of Iran’s and Qatar’s central banks met in Doha on June 14 to discuss the money transfer.

Iran’s Central Bank and Qatar’s Central Bank both passed on providing comment.

According to one Iranian official, two sources briefed on the negotiations, and the Western diplomat, US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, who is currently on unpaid leave because his security clearance is under review, led the talks alongside US Deputy Special Envoy Abram Paley and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani.

According to Reuters, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, Mehdi Safari, participated in two meetings in Qatar with the Iranian team to discuss the money transfer. Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, the state minister for foreign affairs in Qatar, played the role of mediator.

Malley said nothing. No direct communication with Paley, Kani, or Al Khulaifi was possible.

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