On August of 2023, the world saw an agreement be reached by The US and Iran, where 5 imprisoned US citizens were granted freedom to return to their country in exchange for a total of $6 billion. Finally, a month later, we see the deal be finalised, and the 5 individual where put on a plane departing Qatar making its way back to the US.
This release was part of a controversial agreement between the two countries, and mediated by Qatar, who oversaw the conditions in which both countries would be most satisfied. On top of the $6 billion, Iranian prisoners were also freed in the US, however not necessarily will be returning to their home country.
The US also planned on controlling the monetary amount granted to Iran, and only supply that amount to Iran as “humanitarian transactions”, including food, medicine and agriculture. Iranian officials declared that they would be spending the money however they liked, so the maintenance of the amount is still in a grey area of interpretation.
On top of that, the US also imposed sanctions over the former president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the Iranian ministry of intelligence, over their involvement on the wrongful detentions of those 5 citizens. On an announcement, president Joe Biden said that the civilians have endured “years of agony, uncertainty, and suffering”.
Amidst such agreement, we must not understand that the situation between the US and Iran is getting any less hostile. In 2018, when former president Donald Trump struck a multilateral nuclear deal where Tehran must dial back on their nuclear development over the US lifting some international sanctions, we thought we were seeing the start of a decrease in tensions between them. However that’s not the case.
The continuous military buildup by the US in the Gulf is certainly still stopping a friendly relationship between the two countries. This interference by US military is said to be a response from the country over alleged seizures of civilian ships by Iran. All these tensions are ultimately threatening oil trade, mainly present in the Gulf region. Tehran is accusing the US for creating such instability, and are prepared to defend themselves against any aggressive move made by them.
Since the new Biden administration, the prospect of diplomacy have faded. The President intended to revive the Iran nuclear accord, known previously as the JCPOA. As failed negotiations continue happening, the US on top of enforcing sanctions agains the Tehran Regime has added on more penalties.
Regarding Qatar’s mediation, Doha hosted at least 8 hours of negotiations between representative from the US and Iran, who at first dealt with issues regarding the ongoing nuclear issues, and the agreements made, then suspended, and now revived, and finally at the end, they talked about the prisoners at hand. Qatar will be also responsible for monitoring how Iran spends the money.
Qatar has a deep history with both countries. With the US, there are high economic ties regarding energy trade, as Qatar is a major exporter of natural gas and reserves in oil, as well being responsible for many investments in the West. On top of that, Qatar holds many diplomatic ties with the US, and is a member of many international organisations together.
Similarly, Qatar has some ties to Iran. Acknowledging the presence of embassies in each others territories, these countries are not strangers at all. Despite all the instability in the region, both countries were able to maintain open channels of communication, and both are member of many regional institutions that promote cooperation in the region.
Clearly, we see much stronger links between Qatar and the West then with its neighbouring countries. So is it too far off for us to assume a certain preference in a case between the West and the East being mediated by Qatar? It seems quite probable that Qatar, even in sworn impartiality in the case, might have interests in favouring decisions for the US.
An example of such, is the fact that, as mentioned previously, Qatar will be overseeing the $6 billion that were granted to Iran, and how this amount will be spent. But ultimately, with Qatar’s close relationship with the US, it is allowing them to also have a say in how the money agreed to be Irans, will be spent. And how they can make it be spent in accordance to US interests.
This is quite scandalous, but again, not surprising. Of course the US would want to control Iran’s economy specially having so many agreements, sanctions, and overall concerns about Iran’s military and nuclear advancements. So the presence of a “peaceful” Qatar to mediate negotiations truly means what? We are only left to question…
In conclusion, months of negotiation finally came to an effective end, and the prisioners swap finally happened, bringing at least the US citizens back to their home countries, and granting Iranian government $6 billion to use in specific conditions set out during Qatar’s mediation. As much as this may seem as a happy ending, we are left pondering other interests that might have taken place into shaping the negotiations terms, and if Qatar is being used as a gateway for Western influence over the region.
REFERENCES:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-66841137
By The European Institute for International Law and International Relations.
