Qatar has firmly rejected reports claiming it offered Iran $12 billion to help secure a peace agreement with the United States, with Doha's Foreign Ministry spokesman calling the allegations a deliberate attempt to derail ongoing diplomatic efforts in the region.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry, issued a direct rebuttal, "The reports suggesting Qatar 'offered' $12 billion to Iran to secure a deal are simply not true and are being circulated by parties attempting to sabotage the deal and undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts toward regional de-escalation and stability."
He further defended Qatar's mediation credentials, stating, "Qatar's diplomatic role, in coordination with regional partners, is well established and publicly documented, and such narratives are nothing more than desperate attempts to tarnish Qatar's reputation as a trusted international peace facilitator."
The denial comes amid a complex and fast-moving diplomatic backdrop. Iran's negotiators have been demanding the immediate release of $12 billion in frozen assets held in Qatar as a strict precondition for advancing talks with the United States — insisting the funds must be made available before any preliminary Memorandum of Understanding can move forward, according to Iran International, which cited a source with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
The exact amount of Iran's frozen assets in Qatar remains disputed. International media outlets have previously reported the figure at $6 billion — funds transferred from South Korea to Qatar in 2023 in exchange for the release of five US citizens detained by Iran — though Iranian officials have placed the figure at $12 billion.
Iran's top negotiator and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in Doha on Monday for talks with Qatar's Prime Minister on a potential deal to end the three-month-old war, even as both Washington and Tehran downplayed hopes of an imminent breakthrough.
US President Trump, meanwhile, has publicly stated he has no intention of handing over "cash" to Tehran, underscoring the steep gaps that remain between the two sides.
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