Posted on 08/16/24
| News Source: JPost
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani urged Iran to hold off on an attack on Israel to avoid harming the ongoing Doha hostage talks in a phone call with Iran's leadership, The Washington Post reported on Friday citing two diplomats familiar with a phone call had between the two leaders.
Iran vowed to attack Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Despite anticipation in Israel and around the world, the attack has yet to come.
Al Thani warned Iran that an attack may further risk the current Gaza ceasefire discussions, which Hamas has refused to participate.
Al Thani “encouraged Iran to de-escalate and stressed the need for calm” during the call, one of the diplomats said told the Post. A second diplomat said the Qatari PM warned Iran to consider the impact an attack could have on current diplomatic efforts.
Ceasefire negotiations have reached their second day in Doha with current talks centering around the terms of a 6 week ceasefire in Gaza and the withdrawal of IDF forces from some areas in exchange for the release of some of the remaining hostages abducted by terrorists during Hamas's October 7 attacks on southern Israel.