Qatar Invites Iran's President Raisi To Doha Gas Summit

Qatar has invited Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to attend the upcoming meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

During Thursday’s meeting in Tehran with Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani delivered the Qatari Emir’s invitation. The Sixth GECF Summit of Heads of States and Governments is slated for Doha in February.

GECF, which is headquartered in Doha, is an inter-governmental organization of the world's leading gas exporters aimed at increasing coordination. Iran and Qatar share the world’s largest gas-field, with the Iranian part known as South Pars and Qatar’s as North Dome.

Earlier in the day, Iran's official news agency said Al-Thani’s visit should not be seen as facilitating direct talks with Washington, so responding to suggestions in domestic and foreign media that al-Thani aimed to thereby improve prospects for reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.

The visit took place with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani due to meet United States President Joe Biden at the White House January 31 to discuss global energy security as well as the Vienna nuclear talks.

Washington is liaising with energy-producing states and firms over possible diversion of supplies to Europe should Russia invade Ukraine. Moscow supplies one-third of Europe’s natural gas and might stop winter deliveries if sanctioned by the US or western Europe over any action in Ukraine.