TEHRAN: Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani arrived in the capital Sundayto ease tensions between Iran and the United States, a few days afterTehran’s retaliatory strikes against two military bases in Iraq housingAmerican troops heightened tensions between the two arch foes.
Qatar is close to the US and hosts Washington”s largest military base inthe region, but it also enjoys strong ties with Tehran, with which itshares the world”s largest gas field.
Sheikh Tamim arrived in the Iranian capital around midday, semi-officialnews agency ISNA said.
The emir was scheduled to meet with President Hassan Rouhani in theafternoon, ISNA reported.
Qatar”s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani reportedlycalled for a peaceful solution that would lead to de-escalation during avisit to Tehran in the immediate aftermath of the US strike on January 3.”Yes it”s confirmed,” an official at Qatar”s Government CommunicationsOffice said, adding that Sheikh Tamim was flying to Iran for what isbelieved to be his first official visit to the Islamic republic, followinga stop in Oman.
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Sheikh Tamim left Doha for Muscat on Sunday morning “to offer condolenceson the death of Sultan Qaboos”, the state-run Qatar News Agency reported.
Tamim’s visit to the country follows Iran’s retaliatory strike against twobases in Iraq that house US troops. Tehran said the attack was revenge forthe US drone strike ordered by President Trump that killed top Iraniancommander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad last week. -APP/AFP
