Iran, Qatar recast regional 'resistance' alliance
The dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar is playing out within the context of Iran’s improved ties with Doha, Qatar’s rethink of its Syria policy and Tehran’s initiatives to expand its influence with Palestinian factions.
TEHRAN, Iran — Last week, Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, a close ally of Tehran, visited the Qatari capital of Doha to meet his ally and comrade Khaled Meshaal, the leader of Hamas, according to sources close to Shalah.
It is rare that someone like Shalah visits Doha, given the tight security measures that lead his movements to be well-tracked and detailed. Hence, he went only after receiving his Iranian allies’ blessings.
In Doha, Shalah and Meshaal discussed the latter’s forthcoming trip to Tehran, a long-anticipated visit delayed by the wait for Tehran to extend an invitation. The hurdle in pinpointing a date has been attributed to setting an appointment for a meeting with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
An Iranian official told Al-Monitor that the visit is expected to take place after the Persian New Year (Nowroz), although the exact timing is still to be confirmed. Another Iranian source explained that all the details have been sorted with Hamas since summer 2013. He added, “Up to this moment, more than eight delegations from Hamas have visited Tehran. Political, military and social delegations were welcomed and always are. The issue of Mr. Meshaal was personal and more complicated. Now it’s almost resolved.”
