Illustration by KL./

 – U.S. President Joe Biden called Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to thank him for Doha’s mediation that resulted in the release of a number of Americans from Iran, the Amiri Diwan said on Tuesday.

“During the call, the strategic relations between the two countries and aspects of supporting and strengthening them in various fields were reviewed,” the Amiri Diwan, or Emir’s office, said in a statement.

It also said that Biden had praised “Qatar’s active and constructive role on the international stage”.

Last month, with Doha’s mediation, Iran freed five Americans as part of a prisoner swap for five Iranians held in the United States and the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds, marking a rare deal between the long-time antagonists.

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(Reporting By Moaz Abd-Alaziz in CairoEditing by Gareth Jones)