Iran-Qatar Political Consultations Committee Convenes

The first meeting of the Iran-Qatar political consultations committee was held in Tehran on Tuesday as senior officials from both nations’ foreign ministries explored ways for expansion of bilateral ties. 
Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani in talks with Qatar’s Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Bin Hassan Al Hammadi pointed to deep and extensive neighborly relations that could be further fostered, IRNA reported.
“Current ties between the two countries are a far cry from what they should be; therefore, all capacities should be utilized to boost relations,” Baqeri Kani said. 
The official noted that the Iranian government’s approach to regional relations was not a “temporary tactic”, but a “strategic policy” that could fend off foreign intervention in the Middle East. 
“Foreign intervention and military presence do not promote stability or security,” he said, adding that mutual trust and economic ties could create unity and harmony between countries in the conflict-stricken region. 
Highlighting common regional interests, Baqeri Kani stated, “There is no contradiction between national interests and the collective interests of regional nations.”
In February, President Ebrahim Raisi visited Doha to pave the way for expansion of ties, the first time an Iranian president had made that trip in eleven years. 
Acknowledging the success of Raisi’s trip, Al Hammadi spoke of the Qatari Emir’s future visit to Tehran and noted that Qatar saw political negotiations with Iran as constructive to regional peace and stability. 
“The roots of friendly ties are so deep that nothing has been able to affect it throughout time,” Al Hammadi said, noting that Iran-Qatar relations could serve as a shining example for the rest of countries in the region to follow.