Qatar holding quiet talks with Iran to secure release of Jewish prisoners - report

Qatar is reportedly engaged in discreet negotiations with Iranian authorities to secure the release of Jewish prisoners detained in Iran, according to Israel's public broadcaster Kan, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The report says five Iranian Jews were recently arrested on various charges, including allegedly criticizing the Islamic Republic during the recent military escalation between Iran and the United States.

According to the sources, Doha hopes its mediation efforts will be viewed positively in Washington and help strengthen its relationship with the US administration.

Kan also reported that Qatar is involved in parallel efforts to secure the release of American citizens held in Iran. Tehran has previously participated in several prisoner exchanges and releases involving foreign nationals. Most recently, an American citizen imprisoned in Iran since 2024 was freed, a move publicly welcomed by US President Trump.

The report further cites a broader crackdown on Iran's Jewish community following Israel's Operation Rising Lion. In July 2025, Iranian authorities reportedly detained two American Jews on suspicion of ties to Israel. One of the detainees, an Iranian-American resident of Los Angeles, was later released on bail.

According to Kan, an additional 33 members of Iran's Jewish community were arrested as part of the same investigation, underscoring what the broadcaster described as an intensified security campaign targeting alleged links to Israel.