Iran, Qatar sign 14 major deals during President Raisi’s Doha trip

Iran, Qatar sign 14 major deals during President Raisi’s Doha trip

Qatar and Iran have reportedly signed 14 new agreements while Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, was in Doha for a two-day trip this week.

President Raisi was visiting Qatar accompanied by his oil minister, Javad Owji, as well as his foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, to participate in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) held in Qatar’s capital, which was included in the trip.

After returning to Tehran, President Raisi told reporters that bilateral trade and relations, along with energy, economy, culture, and especially investment issues, were discussed during the meetings with the Qatar emir and officials.

Agreements regarding economy and trade include one signed between the two nation’s free trade zone authorities and the other between the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran and its counterpart in Qatar.

A two-year agreement on sports and youth, one on tourism, and another on education was also signed, along with an energy deal achieved between Qatar’s Electricity and Water Company and Iran’s Tavanir.

Meanwhile, three agreements were made on ports and maritime affairs, including one on maritime transport, one between the port authorities of the two nations, and one on the idea of connecting Iran and Qatar through an underwater tunnel.

Out of the two agreements dealing with media and culture, one outlined television and radio cooperation, while the other was a two-year deal regarding cultural cooperation.

The final three agreements signed were on diplomatic and consular cooperation.

The first explains visa waivers for diplomatic trips, and the second covers ‘political consultations of matters of joint interest between the foreign ministries of Iran and Qatar’. The third is an agreement between the research centers of the two foreign ministries, related to political education and research.

Further details, and their timelines, have not yet been shared.

President Raisi added that implementation of these agreements is necessary, and it will be followed up by his government colleagues. Meanwhile top officials tasked by Qatar’s emir are also working towards prompt implementation of the same.

Sources clim that President Raisi also met with a group of businesspeople and investors in Qatar for establishing a joint business center in Doha to facilitate investments.

Source credit: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/23/irans-president-raisi-says-14-agreements-signed-in-qatar