Qatar Calls US for Dialogue with Iran over Nuclear Issue

Local Editor

As part of international and regional efforts in loosening the tension over the Iranian nuclear issue in the region, Qatari Prince Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani urged the US to resume negotiations to diplomatically resolve its nuclear issue.

In an interview with the Financial Times on Tuesday, Sheikh Hamad said, "As a neighbor to Iran, and we have lived with Iranians for a long time together, we believe that the best thing is dialogue. The Americans should speak with Iran".

The Qatari Prince also added, "The Iranians are all the time mentioning that their nuclear program is there for peaceful purposes. What is the role of the UN, the Security Council? They should go and check this".

In this context, Sheikh Hamad announced that his country will not allow the US to use any of Qatar's military bases to launch an attack against Iran, further warning that "Israel" is the country that purchases the most dangerous nuclear weapons.

"We never thought to (support) the Americans against Iran or against Hizbullah", Qatari Prince said, emphasizing, "Again, we feel that we know our region more than the Americans".

The US has worked on imposing a new round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

Iran on the other hand had repeatedly stressed that its nuclear program is strictly peaceful, especially that it's under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is also a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and commits to the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency.