Iranian president meets Qatari, Syrian foreign ministers to bolster ties

By Ahmet Dursun and Yilmaz Ozturk

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held separate meetings on Wednesday in Tehran with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam al-Sabbagh, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency.

During his talks with Al Thani, Pezeshkian stressed the importance of expediting the implementation of previously signed agreements with Doha. He highlighted Iran’s commitment to deepening and strengthening bilateral relations with Qatar.

In response, Al Thani reiterated Qatar’s desire to expand ties with Iran and announced that Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani plans to visit Iran at the beginning of next year.

In his meeting with al-Sabbagh, Pezeshkian underscored the need to enhance cooperation between Tehran and Damascus, particularly in countering regional strategies by Washington and Tel Aviv. He urged Islamic nations to work collectively to oppose such plans.

Al-Sabbagh also expressed Syria’s intention to foster greater coordination and collaboration with Iran in the diplomatic sphere.

Stronger ties between Syria and Iran could help both nations mitigate the impact of US sanctions, he added.