Qatar hopes for JCPOA revival after helping with US-Iran prisoner exchange
After mediating the recent exchange of prisoners between Iran and the US, Qatar expressed hope that the two sides will return to the JCPOA, Azernews reports.
Qatar hopes that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program will be reinstated and that the US will return to the plan, said Qatar's Minister of State Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi.
The minister noted that Qatar played a key role in the recent agreement between Iran and the US regarding the exchange of prisoners and the unblocking of Iran's frozen assets abroad. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi added that Doha believes in resolving disputes through negotiations.
"Before the agreement between Iran and the US, Qatari officials made many visits to Washington and Tehran," he said.
On August 10, US National Security Council spokesman Adrian Watson said that the US confirms the release of 5 US citizens illegally detained in Iran and that they are under house arrest. On the same day Iran's mission to the UN confirmed the release of US citizens from Tehran's Evin prison and announced that the release of the prisoners was mediated by a third country and the parties agreed on the mutual release of 5 prisoners.
Under this agreement, it is planned to remove Iran's assets frozen in South Korea and transfer them to Qatar. It is reported that Iran’s $7 billion of assets have been frozen in Qatar.
On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
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