Qatar’s emir praises PM Sharif over historic US-Iran peace deal

ISLAMABAD: Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to congratulate him on Islamabad’s successful mediation of a historic preliminary peace agreement between the United States and Iran.

The diplomatic breakthrough, known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), was also presented to Pakistan’s parliament on Wednesday following six rounds of highly confidential backchannel negotiations led by Islamabad.

During the call, the Qatari emir commended Sharif’s leadership and expressed Doha’s full support for Pakistan’s regional stabilisation efforts, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Sharif expressed gratitude for Qatar’s continuous backing, emphasising that the diplomatic milestone was made possible through the relentless efforts of Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, alongside the constructive role played by fraternal nations, including Qatar.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the conclusion of the first round of technical-level talks between Washington and Tehran held in Burgenstock, Switzerland.

They underscored the necessity of maintaining positive momentum during the 60-day negotiating window and agreed on the critical importance of shielding the fragile peace process from any disruptive external influences.

The conversation also touched upon a recent fatal incident at the Barzan gas facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City.

The Qatari emir extended his deep condolences over the death of a Pakistani national killed in a fire at the plant.

Sharif thanked the emir for his sympathies and praised the Qatari leadership for hosting over 300,000 Pakistani expatriates currently residing in the Gulf state.

Recalling his official visit to Doha earlier this year, Sharif reiterated an invitation to the Qatari leader to visit Islamabad.

The Qatari emir expressed his intent to visit Pakistan by the end of this year to further discuss bilateral economic cooperation and evolving regional security dynamics.