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Top Iranian diplomat meets with Hamas political bureau chief in Qatar

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, the parties discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip

DUBAI, November 23. /TASS/. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh during a working visit to the Qatari capital of Doha, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports.

According to the media outlet, the parties discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip and an Israel-Hamas agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire and the partial release of hostages held in the enclave. IRNA did not provide further details of the meeting.

During his visit, the top Iranian diplomat also held talks with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Abdollahian had welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement but pointed to the risk of the situation in the region getting worse if "the Israeli regime resumes the war after the ceasefire ends."

While on a visit to the Lebanese capital of Beirut earlier on Thursday, the Iranian foreign minister met with Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of the Hezbollah Shiite party, as well as with members of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group.

The Hamas movement announced on November 22 that an agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The movement confirmed that the agreement stipulated the release of 50 women and children under the age of 19 who are held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 women and children under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons.

Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari announced on Thursday that the humanitarian ceasefire would begin at 5:00 a.m. GMT on November 24.