Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani has been in Tehran for talks with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian according to Agence France-Presse.
Qatar’s Foreign Minister’s second visit to Iran was never officially announced but was confirmed to AFP by a diplomat aware of the trip.
Qatar has played an important role in mediating a dialogue between Tehran and Washington. The Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held talks in Washington earlier in February with US President Joe Biden regarding the nuclear agreement and the country’s efforts in forming a discussion between Iran and the US.
The Qatari Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, had previously visited Tehran on January 27 to hold talks with Amir-Abdollahian. In the meetings, the two discussed developments in Vienna and the possible return of the 2015 nuclear deal as well as ways to strengthen GCC and Iran ties.
In a tweet addressing the nuclear deal, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman and President of Center for Public Diplomacy, Saeed Khatibzadeh, stated that “misinformation disguised as reporting is dangerous.”
Misinformation disguised as reporting is dangerous.
The final deal to let the US return to the JCPOA will be far from the unsourced spin making the rounds. It won't be a bilateral agreement either.
Expect more spin as we approach final days.
— Saeed Khatibzadeh | سعید خطیبزاده (@SKhatibzadeh) February 17, 2022
President Raisi’s official visit to Qatar
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is due to visit Qatar on Monday where he will hold meetings with senior Qatari officials for two days.
Through an extended invitation from Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, President Raisi will be accompanied by a number of different delegation of senior officials including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Petroleum, and ministers from “cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts,” according to Tasnim News Agency.
The Iranian ambassador to Qatar, Hamid Reza Dehghani, addressed a press conference on Saturday, where he revealed that a number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) will be signed between the two countries.
The envoy noted that both leaders will discuss issues of mutual interests and regional and international issues as well as further possibilities of strengthening bilateral economic, cultural and tourism ties, reports stated.
Qatar and Iran envoys raise concerns over humanitarian situation in Afghanistan
Ambassador Dehghani said that Iran and Qatar, sharing a joint oil field, have long “consulted” and “cooperated” with one another regarding the issue of gas and its exports. In order to further boost oil production and exports, he underlined the importance of their bilateral relation as well as their ongoing dialogue centered around oil production and exports.
The oil discussions between the two states will also find its way to the 6th summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum taking place on Tuesday, where President Raisi will attend alongside other member countries.
The ambassador addressed Iran’s key role in supporting Qatar through the Saudi-led blockade on Qatar in 2017, and confirmed the country’s stance in helping Qatar through difficult times.
Qatar has “established its position as a mediator on the world level and Iran is interested in benefiting in its role in building better relations with the United States, West and the Arab region for peace, security, stability and development of the people of our region,” the envoy said.
Regarding the Iran nuclear deal, Ambassador Dehghani said that Iran has “complied with its commitments and welcomes any effort to return the United States as pledged in the Iran nuclear agreement between Iran and the five plus one countries.”
