Direct talks in Qatar centered on releasing Iran's $6bn in frozen assets. Tehran also accused the US of violating a 14-point MoU, specifically citing American military reinforcement in the region and breaches of commitments on Lebanon.
Direct diplomatic discussions in the Qatari capital have centred on the release of a portion of Iran's initially frozen US$6 billion in assets, alongside serious accusations from Tehran regarding American violations of a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), according to IRNA. The trilateral meetings, which concluded on Wednesday, involved senior Iranian negotiators alongside Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
Discussions on Frozen Assets
Speaking after the sessions, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, detailed the scope of the high-level diplomatic track. A primary focus of the separate technical meetings between Iranian and Qatari officials, including representatives from Qatar's Central Bank, was establishing a mechanism to utilise Iran's frozen capital, as per IRNA.
"In meetings with Qatari officials, including the Central Bank, some issues related to the expenditure of part of the initial USD 6 billion were examined, and it was decided that, according to our country's announced needs, the purchase of necessary goods would be carried out and made available to Iran," said Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister.
Tehran Alleges US Violations of MoU
The summit also marked the inaugural meeting of a specialised monitoring group comprised of senior negotiators from Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan, tasked with overseeing the execution of the 14-point MoU. During these sessions, the Iranian delegation formally raised alarms over Washington's compliance with the pact.
Specifically, Gharibabadi targeted alleged American infractions regarding regional stability and hostile rhetoric. Tehran flagged explicit US violations regarding its commitments under Clause 1 of the MoU concerning the cessation of war in Lebanon. The delegation examined reports pointing toward active US efforts to reinforce military forces and heavy equipment within the region. Interventionist and threatening rhetoric from American officials was formally reviewed and criticised, according to IRNA.
Gharibabadi emphasised that Iran will not accept selective adherence to the diplomatic framework, warning that the agreement's terms cannot be unbundled. "The Iranian side emphasised that the MoU's commitments form an integrated package and cannot be viewed separately," he stated. "It was decided that a direct communication channel for the monitoring group would be established by tomorrow, and that shortcomings in the implementation of the MoU would be reported, discussed and decided upon in a formal and documented manner," he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)