The Emir of Qatar visits Iran in an attempt at mediation
The arrival of Donald Trump as President of the United States has completely changed the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, weakening the power of Qatar as a mediating country due to the drastic changes that have affected the political and military dynamics of the region.
Given the circumstances, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, met in Tehran with the aim of maintaining joint efforts and expanding existing partnerships.
Despite the emir emphasising ‘constructive dialogue and mutual respect’ as the basis for relations with Iran, Qatar has seen its role in the region diminish, despite having been a key player in negotiations not only in the Gaza conflict, but in any attempt at international negotiation.
Finally, the emir made it clear that the Qatari country is committed to the success of the Gaza agreement and the ongoing efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
Distrust of Qatar
The isolation of Iran and the hardening of the US position have increased the pressure on the Arab country, which is facing severe sanctions and the very real possibility of military action by Washington and its allies.
Regarding the visit, various observers agree that, during the Joe Biden administration, the meeting would not have made much sense; and they point out that Trump's arrival has been the main motivation for the Qatari emir's visit to the Iranian capital. Experts argue that Qatar has failed to understand the nature of the conflict and the impact of the war.
Part of the US rationale for Qatar's doubts is based on the absence of results in the negotiations as an intermediary in the conflict with Hamas, Iran and the Taliban.
For the new US government, Qatar could be playing a contradictory role for American interests. As a result, Trump is maintaining his policy of ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran, an intention he communicated to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.
Mediation in Syria
The arrival of Ahmed Al-Sharaa as President of Syria represents a new opportunity for Qatar to act as a mediator and support Iran in reaching agreements with the new Syrian Government. This would involve greater attention to the search for stability in the country after the overthrow of the regime of Bashar Al-Assad.
Syria's political instability and its geographical and strategic position make the nation a focus of interest for all the countries in the area. Both Turkey and Iran want to increase their military influence by establishing military bases and direct influence over the army, key sectors for the former regime.
On the other hand, the proposal of the Emir of Qatar could come into conflict with the strategic interests that both Turkey and Iran have in Syria, as both countries seek to be international actors of military, political and economic influence, so there is doubt as to whether the Qatari proposals will be able to satisfy the needs of all the agents.