Advisor to HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is also the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majid bin Mohamed al-Ansari affirmed Qatar's enduring commitment to being a positive mediator for enhancing the security and stability of the region.
The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the weekly media briefing, highlighted the announcement made last Monday regarding the arrival of five American citizens who had been detained in Iranian prisons to Hamad International Airport in Doha. He explained that they were released as part of an agreement reached by both parties, and that five Iranian citizens who had been detained in the United States were also released.
Dr al-Ansari further explained that as part of this agreement, frozen Iranian funds, amounting to approximately $6bn were transferred to Doha. These funds would be used to activate the humanitarian financial channel through which these amounts would be allocated for food, medicines, medical equipment, and agricultural products for the benefit of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He noted that this agreement was reached through intensive visits and diplomatic discussions over the course of two years, involving visits to Tehran and Washington, as well as meetings held in Doha, both directly and indirectly. He noted that, despite significant challenges, optimism prevailed because this agreement, especially on the financial front, would lead to further negotiations on more significant issues in the upcoming stage. Dr al-Ansari emphasised that the stability of relations between Iran and the United States could lead to positive developments in the context of the (5+1) group and in regional dialogue with Iran.
In a related context, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reviewed the key moments of the visit of HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to New York. During this visit, he met with several officials on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The official spokesperson also mentioned that HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani chaired Qatar's delegation at the coordination meeting of the foreign ministers of GCC countries. The meeting discussed fraternal relations among GCC countries and addressed the invitation from Iraq to take urgent and serious steps to address the negative effects of the developments resulting from the ruling of the Federal Supreme Court regarding the 2012 agreement between Kuwait and Iraq.
Dr al-Ansari pointed out that HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani also chaired Qatar's delegation at the ministerial meeting of the GCC countries with the United States. This meeting included the foreign ministers of the GCC countries.
Furthermore, HE Sheikh Mohamed chaired Qatar's delegation in the opening session of the Sustainable Development Goals Summit. In his address, he said that the summit presented a significant opportunity to revive hope for achieving sustainable development goals. He emphasized the utmost importance of the current phase in implementing these goals and stressed that commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means and dialogue based on respect are the optimal ways to ensure the preservation of development gains worldwide. He underscored Qatar's commitment to aligning its national development plans with the principles of sustainable development goals.
Al-Ansari noted during the weekly media briefing the hosting of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani alongside Prince Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell for a ministerial dinner on the Middle East. The dinner included discussions on the latest developments in the region and ways to enhance regional security and stability.
The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also mentioned the participation of HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi in the official opening ceremony of the Sustainable Development Goals Pavilion funded by Qatar in partnership with the Education Above All Foundation.
