Qatar's Emir Talks with Iranian President After Rejection of Saudi Arabia's Thirteen Conditions

One day after Doha rejected the thirteen conditions set by Saudi Arabia and its allies, the Iranian President and the Emir of Qatar emphasized the need for increased bilateral relations and cooperation to 'solve the problems of the Islamic world' during a phone conversation. According to the state news agency IRNA, Hassan Rouhani described the 'blockade' of Qatar by Saudi Arabia and its allies as unacceptable. He emphasized that Iran's air, land, and sea spaces 'will always be open to Qatar as a brotherly and neighboring country.' Rouhani called for 'the governance of moderation, centrism, and rationality' in relations among regional countries and expressed hope for resolving issues through dialogue. He then stated that 'pressure, threats, or sanctions are not the right way to resolve disputes.' Turkey and Iran have recently established special maritime and air routes to transport essential goods to Qatar. Additionally, due to the prevention of Qatari flights over Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain, many of these flights are now conducted over Iran. In recent days, Iran has sent tens of thousands of tons of food to Qatar by ship and airplane. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, also expressed concern over the escalation of disputes between Qatar and its neighboring countries, stating that the Islamic Republic is ready to assist in dialogue between the parties. Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that Hossein Jaberi Ansari, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, conveyed Rouhani's message to the Emir of Qatar during a visit to Doha. Jaberi Ansari also stated that Iran is not seeking 'opportunism' in the Qatar issue but has a 'long-term perspective.' Rouhani reiterated Iran's desire for the development of relations and 'continuous cooperation' with the Qatari government during his phone call with the Emir. According to the Iranian presidential office, the Emir of Qatar also stated that 'Qatar's arms are open for interaction and cooperation.' Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also expressed readiness for 'comprehensive expansion' of relations between the two countries and announced readiness for cooperation to 'solve the problems of the Islamic world.' On Tuesday, June 15, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain, Yemen, the Maldives, and Libya announced that they were severing diplomatic relations with Qatar due to what they termed the country's support for 'terrorism' or 'national security' concerns. Qatar, which hosts 11,000 U.S. military personnel and an international coalition, describes the accusation of supporting terrorist groups as 'baseless.' Saudi Arabia and its allies have set thirteen conditions for Qatar, stating that the economic and diplomatic blockade will not be lifted until these demands are met. Reports indicate that severing relations with Iran, ending support for groups like Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas, and shutting down the Al Jazeera network are among these demands. Qatar rejected the ultimatum from Saudi Arabia and its allies on Saturday, July 3, deeming the thirteen conditions unreasonable and a violation of its sovereignty. About a week before the severing of relations, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had emphasized 'strengthening cooperation with Tehran' in a phone conversation with Hassan Rouhani. This phone call occurred just days after controversies surrounding the publication of statements attributed to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Qatar announced on Wednesday, May 24, that its state news agency had been hacked, and statements attributed to its Emir criticizing the U.S. and praising Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood had been published. Despite Qatar's denial, news agencies and media in Saudi Arabia and the UAE continued to publish the statements attributed to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Qatar's Foreign Ministry expressed surprise at these comments.