Iran Denies Rumored Attempt On Qatari Ambassador’s Life

Iran’s foreign ministry denied Friday claims circulated on social media that the Qatari ambassador had been the victim of an attempted assassination.

On Thursday night, social media users were spreading the claim on Telegram channels that the Qatari envoy, initially named as Ali Ben Hamad Al Sulaiti, had been targeted on a Tehran street. The current ambassador is Mohammed bin Hamad Al Hajri, who replaced Al Sulaiti after he announced as Qatar's ambassador to Peru in 2018.

Iran’s foreign ministry cautioned media outlets to be careful over reporting such ‘news,’ while the Qatari embassy did not comment.

Tehran supported Doha after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain launched an economic boycott of Qatarin 2017. The quartet made 13 demands of Qatar including ending any ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and Saudi opposition, closing the al-Jazeera television station, and restricting relations with Iran.

During February’s visit by President Ebrahim Raisi to Doha for the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, the two countries signed several deals. Iran and Qatar share the world’s biggest gas-field, with Iran’s portion known as South Pars and Qatar’s as North Dome.