Raisi: Qatar Trip Meant To Enhance Interactions with Gulf States, Activate Neighborly Diplomacy

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi said he seeks to improve the Islamic Republic’s interactions and communications with the Arab littoral states of the Gulf and activate good neighborly diplomacy during his visit to Qatar.

“The trip to Qatar is in line with the activation of [our] neighborly diplomacy, especially with Persian Gulf countries, and is meant to tap their capacities in order to develop political and economic ties,” Raisi told reporters on Monday just before he departed Tehran for Doha to attend the sixth summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum [GECF].

He highlighted that the visit is taking place at the invitation of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and has two objectives.

“The first goal is to develop bilateral relations with Qatar as a friendly and brotherly neighboring country, while the second one is to participate in the GECF summit,” Raisi pointed out.

He then pointed to the country’s joint gas field with Qatar, stating that the two countries have considerable cooperation in this regard and should take fundamental steps to elevate the level of their business and energy ties.

Raisi added that Iran is one of the founders of the GECF and that the forum was formed on an initiative from the country, stressing that the Islamic Republic is among the three most important countries exporting gas in the world alongside Qatar and Russia.

The Iranian president also expressed hope that the trip would contribute to the promotion of political, economic, and trade relations with regional countries, especially the Gulf states.

During his two-day trip, negotiations will be held between top Iranian and Qatari officials, and a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding [MoUs] will be signed by the two sides.

Raisi is scheduled to address the Sixth Summit of GECF in Doha on Tuesday.

He is expected to hold talks with leaders of the participating countries on the sidelines of the event.