US State Secy reviews latest developments in Iran, Afghan crisis with Qatar Foreign Min

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Qatar Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Sunday, 12 December. During the call, Blinken lauded the continued efforts of Qatar in supporting the safe transit of US citizens, lawful permanent residents and Afghans from Afghanistan. During the phone call, the two sides reviewed the latest developments regarding the situation in Afghanistan.

Blinken speaks to Qatar Foreign Minister

The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price in a statement informed that Blinken spoke to Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. During the phone call, Qatari Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State Blinken discussed bilateral and regional issues including Iran. Informing about his phone call with the Qatar Minister of Foreign Affairs, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted, "Spoke with Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs @MBA_AlThani_ to commend Qatar for its continued efforts to support the safe transit of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents from Afghanistan."

"Secretary Blinken and the Foreign Minister also reviewed the latest developments regarding the situation in Afghanistan and discussed other bilateral and regional issues, including Iran," Ned Price said in a statement.

After the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the US has time and again expressed gratitude to Qatar authorities for their help in facilitating the evacuation of US citizens and lawful residents from the war-torn nation. Earlier in August, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for helping in the evacuations of US citizens from Kabul. Regarding his phone call with Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Blinken tweeted, "During my call with Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs @MBA_AlThani_, I thanked him again for Qatar’s continued support to transit U.S. citizens, @USEmbassyKabul personnel, & foreign nationals from Afghanistan. Qatar has gone above & beyond with its help."

Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani led the fourth US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue in the US. In this year's dialogue, both sides discussed regional and global issues and advanced bilateral cooperation in various areas including health, humanitarian assistance, international development, labour, security cooperation, climate change, trade and investment, the US State Department informed in a statement. The US and Qatar signed several accords, including Arrangement of the Protection of US interests in Afghanistan and an MoU on Cooperation to Host Individuals at Risk Due to the Situation in Afghanistan. Both sides discussed challenges in Afghanistan and the extraordinary teamwork between the two countries on the evacuation from Afghanistan to the US through Qatar. 

Image: AP