Iran and Qatar sign bilateral cooperation agreement as Iranian President Raisi visits Doha

Doha: – Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi is visiting Qatar. Besides, he signed an agreement regarding fuel gas cooperation. This is the first visit of the Iranian President to Qatar in the last 11 years. Local media has claimed that the Iranian President visited Qatar to improve relations with the countries in the Middle East. Whereas the head of state of Qatar recently visited the United States. Against this background, the importance of the visit of the Iranian President increases further.

Moreover, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi reached Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Monday. On a two-day visit to Qatar, the Iranian President met the head of state, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The two country heads signed a fuel gas cooperation agreement. At the same time, media from both countries said that fourteen Memorandums of Understanding were signed in the trade, energy, education, culture and passenger transport sectors. President Raisi is also scheduled to participate in the fuel gas exporters meeting in Doha on Tuesday.

Iran and Qatar share a friendly relationship. In 2007, Saudi and its Arab allies boycotted Qatar to support terrorist organisations. Iran had continued its cooperation with Qatar. In contrast, Qatar had supported the Iranian stand regarding Houthi rebels in Yemen. The visit of the Iranian President is apparently for strengthening the ties between the two countries. But as per the media in Iran and Qatar, the Iranian President has embarked on the mission to improve relations with the Arab countries in the Middle East and Qatar is the first destination.

Meanwhile, ten days ago, the Qatar head of state paid a special visit to the United States. Sheikh Tamim met US President Joe Biden and discussed regional issues. At that time, reports were published that Qatar had played a vital role in the nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran. Iran and the United States claim that the negotiations for the nuclear deal, being held in Vienna, are in their final stages. In these circumstances, the Qatar visit of the Iranian President becomes vitally important.