Qatar rejects reports it ‘offered’ Iran US$12bil for US deal

WASHINGTON: Qatar denied on Monday that it “offered” Iran US$12 billion to finalise an agreement that would end the stalled US-Israeli war, a conflict that sent shockwaves through the region and beyond, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

“Reports claiming that the State of Qatar ‘offered’ US$12 billion to Iran to ensure the conclusion of an agreement are utterly baseless and are being circulated by parties seeking to derail the agreement and undermine diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and promoting stability in the region,” Foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said on US social media platform X.

“Qatar’s diplomatic role, in coordination with regional partners, is well established & publicly documented, & such narratives are nothing more than desperate attempts to tarnish Qatar’s reputation as a trusted international peace facilitator,” he added.

The statement comes as several high-profile Iranian officials visit Qatar amid a flurry of diplomatic pushes to finalise the agreement.

Regional tensions boiled over Feb 28 when the US and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with barrages of drones and missiles that hit targets across the region as Tehran shuttered the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway. Last week he said the deal has been “largely negotiated” and awaited finalisation.

المصدر: Free Malaysia Today