Iran's Foreign Minister meets Emir of Qatar in Doha

Visit is first since Iran launched a missile attack on US base in Gulf state

Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, met Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Doha. Photo: Iran Foreign Ministry / X

Iran's Foreign Minister met Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, in Doha on Thursday in the first such visit since Iran launched missiles at the Gulf state in June.

The Qatari royal court said Abbas Araghchi conveyed a verbal message from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian "on the bilateral relations, issues of common concern, particularly the developments in the region".

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said they exchanged views on the strengthening of Iran–Qatar relations. It said they also addressed "regional and international developments – particularly the continuing genocide and atrocities perpetrated" by Israel in Palestine.

They called for "decisive action by the countries of the region and the international community to halt the genocide in Gaza, prosecute the perpetrators, and confront the warmongering and hegemonic designs" of Israel, the ministry said.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas was also in Doha to meet Mr Araghchi, with the bloc seeking a "negotiated solution" to the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme, an EU official told AFP.

The meeting came after European powers last week triggered a deadline for UN sanctions to come back into force on Iran over its failure to comply with commitments under a moribund 2015 deal. That move set off a 30-day countdown that the UN called a "window of opportunity" to find a diplomatic solution.

"Kallas met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Doha on Thursday to discuss efforts to reach a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," the EU official said. "The talks focused on a range of topics, including access for International Atomic Energy Agency monitors to Iranian nuclear sites and the status of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium."

Mr Araghchi's visit to Doha is the first by a senior Iranian official since Iran launched a barrage of missiles on the US-operated Al Udeid airbase in Qatar on June 23.

The attack came in retaliation for the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. American planes dropped massive "bunker busters" on Iranian underground nuclear facilities, joining in Israel's 12-day air war against Iran. A ceasefire was declared shortly afterwards.

A Qatari military official said at the time that two waves comprising 19 missiles were launched at the base. All but one were shot down, and there were no injuries.

Iran had stated that the attack had "nothing to do with our friendly neighbour Qatar" but was meant as retaliation against the US. Gulf and Arab countries rallied behind Qatar in support.

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said relations with Iran were scarred by the attack, but said that he hoped ties would eventually "come back to normal".

Mr Pezeshkian at the time expressed his “regret” to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim over the attack. In a phone call with the Emir, Mr Pezeshkian noted that neither Qatar nor its population were the target of the attack, and that it did “not represent a threat” to the Gulf nation.