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Iran, Qatar stress peaceful settlement of regional crises

Tuesday, 03 October 2017 10:40 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 03 October 2017 5:39 PM ]

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (3rd-L) meets with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (4th-R) in Doha, October 3, 2017.

Iran and Qatar have underlined the need for peaceful solutions to regional crises, as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visits Doha.

Zarif on Tuesday sat down with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in the Qatari capital.

During the meeting, Zarif highlighted the Iranian government’s principled policy to have the best relations with all its neighbors and expressed hope that Tehran-Doha ties would improve in all fields.

Touching on the sensitive conditions in the region and the tensions, the top Iranian diplomat said that none of the regional conflicts had military solutions and all sides had to adhere to dialog and give priority to regional initiatives meant to bring about stability and security.

The Qatari emir, for his part, expressed his satisfaction with the process of enhancing Iran-Qatar ties, noting that the two countries have always sought close relations.

He also welcomed the Islamic Republic’s stance on finding a peaceful solution to regional crises and pointed out that permanent consultation with regional countries, including Iran, was a necessity.

Zarif is in Qatar on the second leg of his two-nation trip, which had already taken him to Oman.

Back in June, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates imposed a trade and diplomatic embargo on Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, an allegation strongly denied by Doha.

They presented Qatar with a list of demands, among them downgrading ties with Iran, and gave it an ultimatum to comply with them or face consequences. Doha, however, refused to meet the demands and said that they were meant to force the country to surrender its sovereignty.

Iran has taken a neutral stance in the dispute but has on humanitarian grounds sent food supplies to Qatar amid the Saudi-led siege of the country. It has also allowed Qatar’s national carrier to use its airspace.

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