Sheikh Tamim and Iran’s leader held a press conference in Tehran following their discussions, where developments in the Gaza Strip topped the agenda.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian held official talks on Wednesday at the Republican Palace in Tehran over bilateral relations and regional developments.
Sheikh Tamim was accompanied by an official delegation that included Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
“I met in Tehran with the Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, as part of our joint efforts to encourage more fruitful cooperation and expand existing partnerships between us in various fields for the benefit and interest of our two countries and peoples,” Sheikh Tamim said on X.
The Amir also met with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where they discussed similar topics.
“Expanding relations with neighbouring countries is a definite policy of the Islamic Republic. This is also one of the policies of Mr. Pezeshkian’s administration as has been announced. Good work has been done in this area and notable progress has been made,” he said on X.
Support for Palestine
Sheikh Tamim and Iran’s leader held a press conference in Tehran following their discussions, where developments in the Gaza Strip topped the agenda.
The Qatari leader also noted that his visit came “at a time when the region is witnessing challenges that require consultation and coordination”.
“The discussions addressed the issue of Palestine, the necessity of adhering to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the commitment of the parties to implementing the phases of the agreement, and the importance of delivering humanitarian aid to the brothers in Gaza,” the Amiri Diwan said, citing Sheikh Tamim.
On January 15, mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States reached a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel following more than a year of stalled negotiations.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 61,709 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, with thousands others still missing under the rubble.
The war in Gaza triggered a regional flare up including in Yemen, Lebanon and Syria.
Also last year, Israel assassinated former Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran on July 31.
Israel then assassinated Hezbollah Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, barely two months later in Beirut in yet another move that fueled regional tensions, particularly between Iran and Israel.
Since the onset of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, Iranian-backed and aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq—collectively known as the “axis of resistance”—have mobilised in response to the assault on the besieged enclave.
“We thank the State of Qatar for its efforts in the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and the liberation of Palestinian prisoners,” Pezeshkian told the press.
Meanwhile, Qatar has served as a key interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. in hopes of reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Qatar’s shuttle diplomacy between both sides led to a historic agreement on September 18, 2023, resulting in the release of five Iranians and five Americans, as well as the unfreezing of $6bn (around QAR21.8bn) in Iranian assets overseas.
