Billions to Iran: the compromise offered by Qatar

Qatar and Pakistan have submitted to the US and Iran a compromise proposal for an agreement that “meets the demands of the American side and the Iranian side”, it was reported today (Tuesday) in the Qatari Al-Arabi Al-Jadid newspaper. The report came after Pakistan’s army commander Asam Munir visited Tehran, on the background of his central role in mediating with the US.

According to the report, the proposal includes a partial response to the Iranian demand for the return of the frozen funds. It involves the transfer of $6 billion in interest from Iranian funds to Tehran through banks in Qatar. In addition, as part of the proposal, Tehran agreed to a secret visit, which will not be announced publicly, by the International Atomic Energy Agency to the Iranian nuclear sites.

It was also reported that an Iranian security source told the local Tasnim news agency that “one of the main obstacles facing the negotiations is the lack of trust in the representatives of the American side.” He claimed that “it is not clear who in the American leadership is responsible for making significant and final decisions – Vance, Witkoff, Rubio or Kushner.”

According to him, “this uncertainty, together with the political rivalries and internal disputes in the US leading up to the elections, led to great complexity in the interim process and the exchange of messages.”

In the meantime, Mohsen Razai, the secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security in Iran, clarifies in a meeting with the commander of the Pakistani army Asam Munir in Tehran that “not even one particle of enriched nuclear material will leave Iran”. The material will remain a national asset intended for local use.” He further emphasizes that “negotiations will not take place until the US rebuilds trust by fulfilling the conditions set by Iran.”

At the same time, the Reuters news agency reported that Iran deliberately prolonged the talks with the United States in order to try to politically weaken Trump ahead of the midterm elections that will be held in November. According to three senior Iranian officials, Tehran is convinced that Trump is ready to launch another wave of attacks in an attempt to break the stalemate in the war. In addition, Tehran refuses to make concessions in the negotiations so as not to give Trump a victory before the elections.

“Iran is preparing for renewed attacks by Israel and the United States – not for an agreement to end the war,” said one of the sources. “The religious establishment is determined not to give Trump a political victory.” Iranian commentator Saeed Lilaz noted that by extending the talks, “Iran is influencing the elections in the United States without taking any illegal action.”

The war with Iran contributed to the fact that the support rate for Trump reached a record low, and polls show that Americans worried about high gas prices will punish the Republican Party in the congressional elections. Trump has repeatedly stated that he expects oil prices to drop after the election, but has not presented a detailed plan for ending the war and opening the Strait of Hormuz.