Leader: Expanding ties with neighbors Iran’s ‘definitive policy’
‘Tehran expects Doha to unblock frozen assets’
Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with visiting Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani that expanding relations with neighbors is Tehran’s “definitive policy.”
The Leader praised the good measures taken by Iran’s government in this regard.
The Leader also said that Iran expects Qatar to give back Iran’s assets blocked in the Arab country under the US pressure.
“We consider Qatar a friendly and brotherly country, although there are still unclear and unresolved issues, such as the return of Iranian assets that were transferred from South Korea to Qatar, and we know that the main obstacle to the implementation of the agreement that was reached in this regard is the United States,” Ayatollah Khamenei told the Qatar’s emir.
“If we were in Qatar’s place, we would not take heed of American pressure and would reject the other side’s demands, and we expect such action from Qatar,” the Leader said.
In August 2023, Iran and the United States agreed to a Qatar-brokered deal to secure the release of some $6 billion of Iranian funds that had remained frozen in two South Korean banks since 2018 under the pretext of US sanctions.
The money was successfully transferred to bank accounts in Doha.
Later, however, American media reported that the US had reached a “quiet understanding” with Qatar to stop the Islamic Republic from accessing its funds after Palestinian groups launched Operation al-Aqsa Storm in October 2023.
‘Good decisions’
Earlier on Wednesday, Qatar’s emir held a separate meeting with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.
During the meeting, Pezeshkian said Iran and Qatar have made “good decisions” to deepen their cooperation in various fields, stressing that Qatar enjoys a high standing with the Islamic Republic.
The Iranian president described strengthening relations in political, economic, cultural, military and security fields with neighboring and regional countries as one of the key policies of his government, saying that, “Among friendly and brotherly countries, Qatar maintains a high standing with us.”
“In our consultations with my brother, the Emir of the state of Qatar, we discussed bilateral issues and both countries’ interests and we made good decisions to develop and deepen relations and open new doors for cooperation.”
Pezeshkian said that they also discussed developments in the region, especially situation in Gaza and Syria.
He said that Iran believes that regional countries can take steps based on good neighborliness, mutual respect, and constructive interaction to maintain stability and security in the region and pave the way for the establishment of a joint cooperation framework.
The Iranian president also thanked Qatar for its role in mediating a cease-fire agreement between Palestinian resistance group Hamas and Israel, which has led to the release of hundreds of Palestinians from the Israeli jails.
The Qatari emir, for his part, expressed satisfaction with his visit to Iran, and said such trips can help expand the brotherly and historical relations between the two countries, which are based on good neighborliness.
He said they discussed cooperation in various fields, and underscored the need for creating more opportunities for potential cooperation, especially in the commercial and economic fields.
The Qatari Emir said they also emphasized the importance of following up on the results of the recent Joint Economic Commission meetings and increasing the volume of trade exchanges to achieve stated goals.
Sheikh Tamim said they also discussed the challenging conditions the region is facing.