Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani called Monday for caution amid the ongoing talks between the US and Iran, warning that “external circumstances” could still affect negotiations despite the “will” on both sides.
“We must be cautious, because despite the will, there are external circumstances that may affect the negotiations,” Sheikh Mohammed told Al Jazeera television.
He said the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran helped bring about a halt to the war and laid the foundation for negotiations.
“The memorandum was reached after significant efforts with Qatar’s partners in Pakistan and with regional support,” he added.
He said the main objective of the memorandum is to stop the war and establish a framework for negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The memorandum creates an “institutional framework for the negotiating process” and requires both sides to “meet regularly” to resolve outstanding issues, he added.
The Qatari premier said the framework presented during Sunday’s talks in Switzerland was “positive” and that technical discussions were continuing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said early Monday that negotiations with the US in Switzerland facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar had produced “significant progress” toward ending the war in Lebanon and easing pressure on Iran's economy.
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