Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani in an interview with The Washington Post’s Lally Weymouth has highlighted Qatar’s efforts to stabilise an increasingly disordered world.
In the interview, referring to US President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to Qatar, the Prime Minister has said that it is expected to discuss the partnership between the United States and Qatar, which has multiple elements, the most important of which is security and defence.
“A lot of things are going on in the region right now, starting with the negotiations with Iran,” he said.
In reply to a question on the indication that President Trump is moving toward a deal with Iran, the Prime Minster said, “We have been encouraging the Iranians to try to reach a deal as soon as possible. Since the US walked out of the deal [in 2018], Iran has increased its [nuclear] enrichment. Our advice to both Iran and the US is that you need to conclude this deal as soon as possible because October is a critical timeline for the UN. Security Council to look at the program [and reimpose UN sanctions on Iran].”
Referring to lifting sanctions on Syria, the Prime Minister said the aim is to reach an understanding with the US about lifting the sanctions on the new Syrian government.
“There are a lot of unknowns about how they are going to perform, [but] since the new Syrian government took over, we have been hearing the right things. We see their ability to move forward has been very much limited by the sanctions regime that they are subjected to,” he said.
In regard to the role Qatar played in the release of American and Israeli hostages, the Prime Minister said over the last year and a half more than 130 hostages were released as a result of mediation.
He said, “It was pressure on Hamas. We negotiated the first deal in November 2023, a month after October 7. They released 105 of the women, children and foreigners. The second ceasefire took us until January 2025. We got another round of 33 hostages released in a prisoner exchange mediated by Qatar, the US and Egypt. Now we are trying to get the rest out.”
Replying a question about the present situation in mediation efforts, the Prime Minister said as a mediator, Qatar tries as much as possible not to be critical of one party over the other, but there were a lot of problems and violations that took place in the first deal that didn’t allow to win the trust between the parties to continue with the second phase of the deal.
The Prime Minster also highlighted the efforts taken to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, by speaking with the Israelis and also with the US. Asked if the hostages’ lives were in peril, the Premier said, “The hostages will be exposed to any risk that the rest of the civilians in Gaza are exposed to. We are trying to get something done, hopefully before the visit of the president. We are doing our best, working day and night.”
About the future of Gaza, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance to end the war and get Gaza in a situation where it is not at risk of war every day.
“If this requires a new Palestinian government in Gaza, it should happen. We support that [the Palestinians] get a government of technocrats. We know the misery that has been created by Oct. 7 and by the war. I don’t think we can go back to the same situation,” he said.
In response to the release of Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli hostage by Hamas, the Prime Minister expressed relief and emphasised the broader diplomatic context. “We wish this for all the hostages. It’s the result of tireless efforts to achieve a ceasefire. We hope we can bring both sides back to the table for constructive talks about ending the conflict and ensuring critical aid enters Gaza,” he said.
In the interview, the Prime Minister also addressed questions on Qatar’s extensive diplomatic efforts that stretch well beyond the Middle East, emphasising that although Qatar is a small country, it maintains a wide-reaching global presence.
He pointed to Qatar’s role in brokering talks between the Taliban and the Trump administration in Afghanistan, and later assisting President Biden’s administration with evacuations following the fall of Kabul. Qatar is also involved in facilitating negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda in partnership with the African Union, as well as aiding in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The Prime Minister stressed that what happened in Ukraine is unacceptable, particularly the separation of children from their families, and noted Qatar’s efforts in reuniting those children with their families.
