The President’s visit to Qatar can be a prelude to a broad and comprehensive outreach
NourNews – Sadr al-Husseini said: “Since the past few years, when Qatar’s differences with some countries in the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, have increased, Qatar’s inclination towards the Islamic Republic has increased more than before.” Seyed Reza Sadr al-Husseini, senior expert on regional issues, on the eve of the President’s visit to Qatar, following the official invitation of the Emir of Qatar to President Raisi to attend the Summit of Gas Exporting Countries in Qatar, said: “There is a special tendency within the thirteenth government to give the neighbors special importance. Qatar was one of the countries that participated in the inauguration of the presidency at the highest level, and in the past few years, when Qatar’s differences with some countries in the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, increased, Qatar turned to the Islamic Republic.”
He went on to point out that in the past two decades, Qatar has had better relations with the Islamic Republic than other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, noting: The current and future relations between the two countries, which are also major gas exporters, will be effective.
Regarding the thirteenth government’s approach to other countries, the senior expert on regional issues said: “This government seeks more and more sincere relations with neighboring, friendly, Muslim and non-aligned countries, which is regulated by the economy.” The visit, which follows the official invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, could be a prelude to extensive economic, trade, political and security ties in the region.”
Referring to Qatar’s role and position in the region, Sadr al-Husseini said: “Qatar is known as one of the richest countries in the world, despite its small population and limited geography.” At the same time, the influence that this country has had in various intellectual, security and political fields in the region is important. A significant part of the Brotherhood movements in the region is linked to the ideology of Al-Thani, so the expansion of Iranian-Qatari relations has an important impact in maintaining security and stability in the region.”
Regarding Iran’s great ability in the field of economic relations with Qatar, he noted: “After the rupture of relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, despite Iran’s proximity to Qatar and the existing of cultural and religious interests between the two countries and Iran’s ability to provide a viable sector, unfortunately, we did not pay much attention to the needs of the Qatari people and we were not able to enter the Qatari economy enough. Iran’s economic relations with Qatar were less than a billion dollars, despite the high consumption of the Qatari people, especially in the field of consumables, providing the food, horticultural and agricultural and health products needed by this country.”
The senior expert on regional issues said that President Raisi’s government is not interested in focusing on missed opportunities in the past and is looking to the future. He added given that in the field of diplomacy a balanced view has emerged in the Thirteenth government, its difference from the past is certainly noticeable, and there is greater interest and better measures in the field of expanding relations with neighboring countries. The numerous visits of officials of Islamic Republic, especially the minister of foreign affairs, to neighboring countries and the visit of Mr. Raisi to Qatar show that the balance in the policy of the Islamic Republic and the priorities stated by the President’s inauguration ceremony are fully operational.
In the end, referring to the margins made during President Raisi’s visit to Russia and its repetition during his visit to Qatar, he stated: “The opponents of the Islamic Republic’s relations with other countries, especially neighboring and Muslim countries, are always looking for marginalization. They are watching and trying to reduce the effects of this trip and magnify if there are any shortcomings.”
