Qatar Emir Meets Pezeshkian in Moscow; Doha Calls on Tehran to Show 'Good Faith'

Washington-Dubai-Moscow (Agencies): Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday on the sidelines of an energy forum in Moscow, according to Iranian state media. State television reported that “both sides reviewed the current state of relations between Tehran and Doha, and emphasized the importance of deepening political and economic ties and leveraging available potential to enhance bilateral cooperation.” There was no mention of discussions regarding the war in the Middle East that erupted following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. The meeting between the Emir of Qatar and the Iranian President took place on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow. Qatar has recently participated in mediation efforts to end the conflict that has spread across the region.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Iran to demonstrate goodwill toward Gulf states by halting threats, stressing that the success of any mediation efforts requires practical steps to build trust, including ensuring freedom of navigation and keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for international trade. This comes a day after Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani-Iranian talks in Tehran aimed at preventing a resurgence of conflict in the region, which the Islamic Republic described as “very good.”

Ibrahim Al-Hajri, Director of the Media and Communications Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that “the region needs a new regional security architecture that respects state sovereignty and emphasizes non-aggression among states,” adding that “the ball is now in Iran’s court to commit to such principles and demonstrate goodwill.” He continued, “We have heard positive statements from the Iranian side on this issue, but they must still demonstrate goodwill, halt such threats against regional states, and open the Strait of Hormuz so that these efforts can complement each other toward a safe and prosperous region.”

In a related development, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi called for the signing of a non-aggression pact among the eight Gulf-coastal states and the launch of a new regional dialogue to build a comprehensive security system based on cooperation and mutual trust, prioritizing the responsibility of regional states for their own security rather than over-reliance on external powers. Speaking at a lecture titled “Comprehensive Security in the Gulf” at the University of Cambridge in the UK, Al Busaidi said, “The Sultanate of Oman continues its diplomatic efforts to enhance security and stability in the Gulf region by facilitating dialogue among parties, working to resolve disputes, building trust, and calling for the establishment of a comprehensive regional security framework involving the eight Gulf-coastal states,” according to the Oman News Agency.

He clarified that his country’s policy is based on the understanding that its security depends on the security of its regional environment, noting that the Sultanate, which maintains peaceful relations with all its neighbors, continues communication efforts with regional states to settle differences, preserve peace, and expand its scope. The Omani minister affirmed that “recent negotiation experiences highlight the importance of regional states assuming responsibility for their own security, rather than over-reliance on external powers,” calling for a new regional dialogue that includes the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, along with Iraq and Iran, to build a security system based on cooperation and mutual trust.

Al Busaidi pointed to an initiative hosted in Muscat in 1976, when the foreign ministers of the eight Gulf-coastal states met to discuss arrangements for collective security, considering that reviving the ambition of that initiative presents an opportunity to launch a more comprehensive regional track to address current challenges.

He emphasized that his country “calls for reaching an agreement on a non-aggression pact among the eight countries, as a fundamental step toward establishing sustainable regional security.” He added that “external partnerships should be transformed into major economic investments with the eight countries, and play a supportive role, while prioritizing the collective responsibility of the region’s countries in designing, developing, and implementing their security arrangements.”