Qatari Delegation Holds Productive Talks with Iranian Foreign Minister in Tehran, Says Baghaei

A Qatari delegation held productive meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during their visit to Tehran on Sunday, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei. Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Monday, Baghaei explained that the visit was part of ongoing regional contacts aimed at reducing tensions.

“The Qatari delegation was in Tehran yesterday and held good meetings with Abbas Araghchi,” Baghaei stated, noting that these diplomatic efforts mirror recent visits to Tehran by delegations from Oman and Pakistan.

This Sunday visit follows a higher-level trip by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who traveled to Tehran on Thursday, 27 August, marking the first high-level visit between the two nations since the U.S.-Iran war began in February. During that visit, Sheikh Mohammed met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeschkian, Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to discuss regional developments and diplomacy.

Addressing broader negotiations, Baghaei remarked that talks are a tool for advancing national interests and security rather than something inherently positive or negative. He also commented on statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett regarding Qatar, warning that such rhetoric highlights Israel's regional ambitions and serves as a warning to regional countries.

Friction arose between Qatar and Iran on Friday over claims regarding strikes. Baghaei cited a Qatari security document submitted to the International Telecommunication Union to claim that Iranian strikes targeted U.S. military facilities rather than civilian areas. However, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari rejected these claims, urging reliance on Qatar's formal submissions to the United Nations.