UPDATE - Iran, Qatar discuss expanding political, economic, energy cooperation

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Lina Altawell

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed expanding political, economic and energy cooperation during a meeting in Moscow on Tuesday, according to Iranian state media.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 8th summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Russia, Press TV reported.

Iran’s official IRNA news agency said the two leaders reviewed the latest state of relations between Tehran and Doha and stressed the importance of expanding political and economic ties and using existing potential to deepen bilateral cooperation.

Energy cooperation, expanding economic and trade relations and strengthening coordination among gas-exporting countries were among the issues discussed, IRNA added.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Pezeshkian would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow this week.

In a post on Instagram, Araghchi said the meeting would follow up on discussions held during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Tehran on Oct. 19.

The GECF is an intergovernmental organization bringing together major natural gas-producing countries, including Iran, Russia, Qatar and Algeria.

​​​​​​​This comes as Qatar continues mediating between Iran and the US, with negotiations between the two sides still ongoing.

Separately, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Director of Media and Communication Ibrahim al-Hashmi said it was “unacceptable” for the region to normalize the current state of “no war and no peace.”

Addressing a news briefing in Doha, Hashmi warned that escalating tensions were draining the region’s resources and economies and having repercussions beyond the region.

“Qatar is working intensively with regional and international partners, including China, to revive diplomacy and dialogue and put forward practical proposals addressing the concerns of all parties,” he said.

Hashmi stressed, however, that political will from both Iran and the US was essential to resume dialogue and resolve the crisis peacefully.

He also described the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as an “absolute priority” for Qatar and other countries in the region because of its importance to regional and global economies.

​​​​​​​“Using it as a pressure card in this way is rejected and unacceptable to the international community,” he said.