Iran’s Pezeshkian says Tehran, Doha can move past ‘painful events’

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told visiting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Thursday that Tehran and Doha can overcome recent “painful events” and resume bilateral cooperation. “All the legal rights of the Iranian people must be recognized,” Pezeshkian said during the meeting in the capital, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. “The Islamic Republic of Iran demands nothing beyond its legal rights and will not surrender to pressure or bullying,” he added, accusing Israel of seeking to prevent close relations among Muslim countries.

The Qatari premier, who also serves as Doha’s foreign minister, traveled to Tehran as Qatar continued mediation efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. It marked Sheikh Mohammed’s first visit to the Islamic Republic since Washington and Tel Aviv launched military strikes in late February — a conflict that has seen Iran target the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025.

Stalled diplomacy amid Hormuz tensions

Pezeshkian noted that Tehran and Doha had planned numerous joint initiatives before the war delayed implementation of agreements and the development of bilateral relations. The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June following mediation by Pakistan and Qatar, though its implementation has stalled amid differences over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz — through which about a fifth of global oil supplies flowed before the war began.

Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on several Gulf countries including Qatar following US-Israeli strikes this year, and the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint for regional tensions. Washington and Tehran remain at odds over navigation rights in the waterway despite Doha’s diplomatic push to secure a lasting ceasefire.