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Iran's release of Lebanese prisoner was failed overture to U.S.
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS JULY 10, 2019 / 1:09 AM / UPDATED 16 HOURS AGO
Exclusive: Iran's release of Lebanese prisoner was failed overture to U.S.
Lesley Wroughton, Jonathan Landay, Arshad Mohammed
7 MIN READ
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran’s release last month of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese businessman with U.S. permanent residency, after four years in prison was meant as an opening for U.S.-Iranian talks, according to three Western sources familiar with the issue.
The gesture, however, was not enough for Washington, which did not pursue it.
“It was a missed opportunity,” one U.S. source said of Zakka’s June 11 release and the U.S. decision not to pursue talks. “We should have explored whether there was something there.”
A second source — who is familiar with Iran’s thinking and spoke on condition of anonymity — said Iran freed Zakka as a signal it wanted to cool tensions that have fueled fears of a war, and described his release as “a goodwill gesture.”
-snip-
Exclusive: Iran's release of Lebanese prisoner was failed overture to U.S.
Lesley Wroughton, Jonathan Landay, Arshad Mohammed
7 MIN READ
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran’s release last month of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese businessman with U.S. permanent residency, after four years in prison was meant as an opening for U.S.-Iranian talks, according to three Western sources familiar with the issue.
The gesture, however, was not enough for Washington, which did not pursue it.
“It was a missed opportunity,” one U.S. source said of Zakka’s June 11 release and the U.S. decision not to pursue talks. “We should have explored whether there was something there.”
A second source — who is familiar with Iran’s thinking and spoke on condition of anonymity — said Iran freed Zakka as a signal it wanted to cool tensions that have fueled fears of a war, and described his release as “a goodwill gesture.”
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-usa-exclusive/exclusive-irans-release-of-lebanese-prisoner-was-failed-overture-to-u-s-idUSKCN1U50DH