Qatari Prime Minister to Visit Iran ‘In the Coming Days’

Latest Developments

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani is expected to visit Iran for talks “in the coming days,” Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported on August 22. According to the semi-official outlet, Al-Thani — who also serves as Qatar’s foreign minister — plans to discuss “relations between Doha and Tehran” and “major regional issues” with senior Iranian officials, including Iran’s newly appointed foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.

News of Al-Thani’s rumored visit to Iran comes after American, Israeli, Egyptian, and Qatari negotiating teams convened in Doha on August 15 for another round of ceasefire and hostage talks. Hamas said it would not take part in those negotiations, but the Iran-backed Palestinian terrorist group — which has an office in Doha — reportedly received updates from the Qatari and Egyptian mediators. On August 20, Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Qatar, where he was expected to meet with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Their meeting never transpired because the emir was “unwell.” However, Blinken spoke with Qatar’s prime minister over the phone as he landed in Doha. On August 22 and 23, negotiators met in Cairo for additional talks.

Expert Analysis

“Qatar and Iran have a shared client in Hamas. With Doha’s value proposition to Washington significantly diminished by Haniyeh’s death, Al Thani now offers to carry messages for the Biden administration to Iran while also plotting next steps with Qatar’s strategic partner in Gaza.” — Richard Goldberg, FDD Senior Advisor

“Doha and Tehran both support radical Islamist groups globally and are two sides of the same coin. Tehran provides training and operational guidance, while Qatar offers financial resources and diplomatic cover through its vast influence network, which it has built by lavish spending.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, FDD Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor

Qatar’s Relationship with Hamas

Qatar sided with Hamas and endorsed its takeover of Gaza in 2007. Since then, Doha has provided political and financial assistance to the Islamist group, pumping at least $1.8 billion into Gaza’s Hamas-run government. Despite enabling Hamas and holding “Israel alone responsible” for Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, Qatar has positioned itself as a mediator between Hamas and Israel with the assent of the United States.

Qatar’s Relationship with the United States

President Joe Biden designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally in 2022. Qatar also serves as a strategic hub for U.S. military operations in the Persian Gulf region, hosting Al-Udeid Air Force Base — the largest U.S. base in the region. However, since October 7, several U.S. lawmakers have encouraged the Biden administration to downgrade U.S.-Qatar relations given Doha’s support for Hamas. On May 1, Reps. Ann Wagner (R-MO) and Jared Golden (D-ME) introduced the bipartisan Reviewing Qatar’s Major Non-NATO Ally Status Act. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate on April 10 by Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC).

U.S. concern over Qatar’s relationship with Hamas is also reflected in the Senate Armed Services Committee’s draft of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was released on July 9. Specifically, section 1287 of the bill would require the secretary of defense to “submit a report and provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on the operational value of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, taking into consideration the relationship of the Government of Qatar with Hamas and other terrorist organizations.”

Related Analysis

“10 Things to Know About Hamas and Qatar,” FDD Insight

“Israeli Delegation in Qatar for Fateful Gaza Truce Talks,” FDD Flash Brief

“How Hamas balances Qatar, Turkey and the West,” by Seth J. Frantzman