Qatar's FM headed to Moscow to discuss nuclear crisis, Ukraine

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According to a source with knowledge of the Qatari Foreign Minister's visit to Russia, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is headed to Moscow Sunday to discuss Russian alleged "obstruction" of the Iranian nuclear deal and the situation in Ukraine, according to Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said on Sunday.

Abdulrahman Al Thani will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov according to the source.

"Qatari Foreign Minister will pay a visit to Moscow today, where he will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. This visit will be carried out taking into account the conditions in which the world is now as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, the conversation will focus on the latest developments in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis as part of the search for diplomatic efforts to resolve it," the Spokesperson tweeted.

Spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs @MBA_AlThani_ Visits #Russia Today#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/idT1ZJ8fYb

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 13, 2022

Al Thani is expected to confirm Doha’s stance on a peaceful solution as the only way to end the Ukrainian crisis, and urge to “redouble efforts to find a peaceful solution in line with the UN Charter and international law," Al-Ansari said.

Qatar supports international efforts to create conditions for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, he added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held Saturday a phone conversation with his Qatari counterpart Mohammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, in which he criticized the United States for complexing the Vienna negotiations with new issues.

Amir-Abdollahian affirmed that Tehran is seriously working in order to have a good, strong, and sustainable agreement in Vienna.

For his part, the Qatari Foreign Minister stressed the importance of the Qatari-Iranian relations and the positive outcomes of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi's recent visit to Doha, pointing out that Iran and all sides part of the Vienna talks are putting important efforts to reach an agreement on restoring the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

While in France and Germany this week, he discussed the Iran deal, and he spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, on Sunday.

According to the source, Qatar is not mediating in the Ukraine issue but is willing to do so if requested. In a statement, the Qatari FM urged Russia and Ukraine to display "restraint".

On Friday, the advisor to the Iranian negotiating delegation in Vienna, Mohammad Marandi, confirmed that the US refuses so far to lift all sanctions imposed on Iran.

In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Marandi indicated that the American response to Iranian demands was delayed, noting that the hijacking of Iranian oil tankers is considered unacceptable to Iran.