FDD
Insight from @NatalieEcanow: "Khamenei’s request rewinds the tapes to the hostage story that dominated headlines shortly before the October 7 atrocities. The $6 billion that Iran wants to access was paid by the United States as ransom for five American citizens. Qatar helped broker the deal. This is a story we’ve seen play out time and again: Qatar moving people for terrorists and their sponsors in exchange for Western concessions. When it’s not Iran, it’s Hamas. When it’s not Hamas, it’s the Taliban."
FDD
Khamenei Urges Qatari Emir to Release Iranian Oil Revenues Previously Used for Hostage Negotiations New analysis by @NatalieEcanow and @JanatanSayeh: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/02/20/khamenei-urges-qatari-emir-to-release-iranian-oil-revenues-previously-used-for-hostage-negotiations/