President Hails New Chapter in Iran-Qatar Ties

“I have travelled to Doha with the two goals of developing bilateral relations between Iran and Qatar and participating in the Summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF),” Raisi said in a press conference held in Doha on Monday afternoon, after he held talks with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Referring to his meeting with the Emir, the president said, “In this meeting, we agreed that the two countries will benefit from the existing capacities and opportunities to expand cooperation and deepen relations in various fields and areas.”

Raisi added, “The two sides decided to take serious and new steps to strengthen relations by increasing relations and diversifying the fields of cooperation, considering the territorial proximity and neighborhood and common economic interests and advantages.

“We agreed to seriously increase our cooperation in the fields of economy, energy, infrastructure, trade, investment, food security, health and culture,” he stated.

Regarding Iran’s cooperation with Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup, Raisi said, “Iran is sufficiently prepared to contribute to the better holding of the World Cup that Qatar hosts.”

He highlighted the cooperation between the two countries in various fields, and said, “Iran’s unique advantages in various fields, including geographical, environmental, transit, economic, scientific, and especially young and educated human resources, guarantee the contribution of any bilateral or multilateral cooperation to regional economic growth and security.”

The president emphasized, “The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks a significant increase in regional relations, and this trip will create a new chapter in the relations between Iran and Qatar.

“Of course, this trip is considered as one of the transformative steps in relations with neighboring countries, especially neighbors in the Persian Gulf region,” he said, according to the website of the president’s office.

“The level of cooperation between the countries of the region is not commensurate with the huge capacities available, and the Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to help strengthen and promote regional relations in the framework of neighborhood policy,” he stated.

“We are looking for a change in regional relations in the direction of interaction, cooperation and convergence,” he said, adding, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has proved that it always stands by the interests of independent countries and nations. We have proved our friendship to all the countries of the region during the difficult times. Many countries in the region have realized this fact and have similar experiences in this field.”

The president further said Iran has been the winner of two battlefields against terrorism and the campaign of maximum economic pressure. The United States must demonstrate its willingness to lift key sanctions.

“In order to reach an agreement, securing the interests of the Iranian people, especially the lifting of sanctions, valid guarantees and closing the cases of political claims are imperative.

“It is now clear that our region has entered a new phase,” Raisi said, adding, “After several decades of aggressive and occupying presence of the domination-seeking forces, the region is returning to the hands of regional nations”.

He underlined that the countries of the region should pursue and operate crises and issues within the region through further consultations and talks.

“The important lesson of the developments of the last few decades is that first, aggression is doomed to failure, second, resistance is the proper response, and third, none of the problems in the region has a military solution.”

Raisi added, “We also exchanged views on regional issues such as the fight against terrorism, the situation in Afghanistan, drug trafficking, and agreed that the fight against terrorism and its various forms is one of our priorities. Iran’s capabilities in the successful fight against terrorism in Syria and Iraq are security-building not only for the region but also for the world.”

The Iranian president also said Afghanistan’s neighbors and countries in the region must help the people and all ethnic and political groups of Afghanistan to establish an all-inclusive popular government in Afghanistan, otherwise insecurity will return to this oppressed country.

Raisi added, “We talked about the oppressed people of Yemen. Lifting the siege of this oppressed nation is a humanitarian obligation. The only solution to the Yemeni crisis is to stop the Yemeni aggression and holding Yemeni talks.”

He went on to say, “As I announced on the day of my inauguration, I extend my hand of friendship to all countries in the region, especially our neighbors, in the interests of the nations and maximum interaction. Once again, I consider it necessary to appreciate and thank the hospitality of the Emir of Qatar and the State of Qatar.

“I hope that these talks will bear fruit and that tomorrow’s meeting, which is the GECF summit, will be a source of blessings for these countries.”

In the press conference, the Emir of Qatar also expressed his satisfaction with the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding between Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying, “This is a very important issue and their implementation should be pursued.”

Referring to the issue of Palestine, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said, “We discussed the issue of Palestine, as it is the main issue of the region, and the need to stop Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and create a solution based on international resolutions and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and their peaceful and dignified life.”