Iran: Qatar played an important role in the nuclear deal, exchange of prisoners

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian yesterday praised the role played by Doha in the negotiations for a nuclear agreement and the prisoner exchange file with the US.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Abdollahian said: “Qatar is always moving in the right direction and has

played a role in the field of prisoner exchange and the nuclear agreement.”

“A plan was proposed in the Iranian parliament to put a ceiling on nuclear negotiations,” he explained, warning that “the door to negotiations will not remain open forever.”

“Iran is committed to cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

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The statements come as the Minister of State at the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, is on an official visit to Tehran.

Al-Khulaifi yesterday met with Abdollahian and the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Shamkhani, and discussed ways to strengthen relations, as well as regional and international issues.

Doha has previously hosted indirect talks between Iran and the US on a number of issues, most notably the nuclear agreement signed in 2015.

Talks aimed at reviving the nuclear agreement, signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, in addition to Germany, have stalled due to the failure of the US and Tehran to agree on the final text of the agreement presented by the European mediator.

Iran has called for closing the IAEA file of “allegations” regarding traces of nuclear materials in three undeclared sites.

In May 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed economic sanctions

on Iran. The latter responded by dropping some of the restrictions on its nuclear activity, which were stipulated in the agreement.

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