Iran seeks 'deeper and broader' ties with Qatar - analysis
This is noteworthy because Qatar has positioned itself as a nation capable of simultaneously hosting extremists and terrorists while maintaining close ties with Western powers.
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian called for “broader and deeper” ties with Qatar in a meeting on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported.
The meeting between the Iranian president and Qatari prime minister and foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is important. Reports indicate that Hamas leaders recently left Qatar for Turkey. Qatar is a major non-NATO ally of the US; Turkey is a NATO ally. Both countries back Hamas. Iran also supports Hamas. Iran has relatively warm ties with Turkey, and Tehran is seeking even closer ties with Qatar.
This matters because Qatar has often positioned itself as a country that can both host extremists and terrorists and also work closely with the West. It is able to do this by cultivating ties with all sides and then using that to its benefit. For instance, Doha hosted the Taliban for many years and helped them return to Kabul in 2021.
The US backed Doha hosting Hamas in 2012. This enabled the terrorist group to receive funding from Qatar that was routed via Israel to Gaza. Hamas has become much more powerful since 2012. Instead of condemning the October 7 attack, Doha sold itself as a mediator in the conflict. However, its mediation efforts failed after December 2023 and no more hostages were released by Hamas.
Qatar seems interested
Now Qatar and Iran are advancing their partnership. “During a meeting Wednesday with visiting Qatari prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Pezeshkian urged the speedy implementation of agreements reached during his trip to Doha early last month,” the report at Iran’s IRNA media noted.
“Iran will act on what it says and will be committed to its agreements,” the Iranian president said. He extended an invitation for the Emir of Qatar to visit Iran, IRNA also noted.
The Iranian state media also noted that “the Qatari prime minister expressed his country’s eagerness to expand relations with Iran, noting that plans are in place for the Emir to visit Iran early next year. Al Thani said the Qatari government is committed to bilateral agreements with Iran.”
With Hamas leaders now in Turkey, Doha has indicated they are welcome to return. Many countries are now positioning themselves for the incoming Trump administration. Both Turkey and Qatar enjoyed influence with Trump’s previous one. It remains to be seen how this will play out this time. Nevertheless both countries want to strengthen their hand in the region before January.
How might Iran’s meetings with Qatar help both countries? Tehran is currently slamming European powers, the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for various perceived wrongdoings against Iran. Doha, which has influence at the UN, in the EU and the West, may be helpful for Tehran in future disputes. At the same time Iran can help Qatar as well, because it has proxies throughout the region. Their joint backing of Hamas, for instance, is important for both countries.
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