Oman FM says US, Iran 'close' on prisoner deal
Iran and the United States are close to finalizing a deal on the release of Americans held in Tehran, Oman’s foreign minister said.
MEHR: Iran and the United States are close to finalizing a deal on the release of Americans held in Tehran, Oman’s foreign minister said.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in an interview Wednesday he senses “seriousness” on the part of both Washington and Tehran as their negotiators try to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal, Al-Monitor reported.
“I can say they are close,” Albusaidi said of a potential prisoner agreement. “This is probably a question of technicalities.”
“They need to have a framework [and] a timeframe of how this should be orchestrated,” he said of the frozen funds. “I think they’re ironing those things out.”
Oman, which acted as a backchannel for the 2015 nuclear accord, has been a recent venue for indirect talks between US and Iranian officials, according to several sources with knowledge of the effort.
On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed reports that Muscat hosted the discussions, adding they “were not secret.”
Albusaidi did not confirm Oman's involvement, but said his country has “offered in good faith our offices to help both sides, be it here or anywhere else.”
Albusaidi said there is a "positive atmosphere" surrounding the nuclear issue, adding that Muscat believes Iran is serious about reaching an agreement.
“As long as the other side also reciprocates in good faith, they're willing to do this,” he said.
