Qatar emir calls for Gulf-Iran dialogue

Doha : Qatar’s emir has urged Arab countries of the Gulf and Iran to settle their disputes through “dialogue”, in a telephone call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, state media reported yesterday.

Against the backdrop of tensions between Tehran and Riyadh, the official Qatar News Agency said Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani telephoned Rouhani on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha feast, which Muslims began celebrating on Monday.

“The emir stressed that Gulf-Iran relations should be based on good neighbourly relations and mutual respect,” reported QNA. “Any Gulf-Iran disputes should be settled through negotiations and dialogue,” the emir was quoted as saying. 

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the Qatari emir that the Islamic Republic of Iran spares no effort to create and strengthen this procedure and all should make efforts in this area.”

It comes at a time of increased tensions and a full-scale war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia over the Hajj pilgrimage.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message earlier criticized Saudi Arabia over how it runs the Hajj after a crush last year. 

Responding to a question by Saudi newspaper Makkah, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al Sheikh said he was not surprised at Khamenei’s comments.

“We have to understand that they are not Muslims ... Their main enemies are the followers of Sunnah (Sunnis),” Al al-Sheikh said.

He described Iranian leaders as sons of “magus”, a reference to Zoroastrianism, the dominant belief in Persia until the Muslim Arab invasion of the region that is now Iran 13 centuries ago.