Mahmoud Maleki, head of the Public Relations Department of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, made the remarks in response to comments by Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi, director of the Qatari Foreign Ministry’s Media and Communication Department, regarding the visit of senior officials from Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to Tehran.
Maleki said the quadripartite meeting in Tehran was, in itself, a sign of Iran’s goodwill and responsible approach toward the shared interests of the peoples of the region.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran expects all regional countries, including Qatar, to reciprocate this goodwill in their policies and approaches,” he said, emphasizing the need to observe the principle of good neighborliness.
He also called on regional countries to seriously refrain from allowing aggressors to use their territory and facilities to launch military aggression against Iran.
Referring to the constructive discussions held during the four-way meeting among Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia in Tehran, Maleki advised the Qatari official to exercise greater care in his media statements, taking into account Qatar’s role in ongoing diplomatic processes.
The remarks came after Al Hashmi urged Iran to “show goodwill” by ending what he described as threats against regional countries and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He said Qatar’s recent delegation visit to Tehran was part of ongoing mediation efforts involving Pakistan and other regional partners.
Al Hashmi added that messages and ideas were still being exchanged between the parties, without disclosing details of any new proposal or announcing a breakthrough. He also said that despite the possibility of further escalation, mediators continued to hold out hope for a diplomatic solution.
On Monday, senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey held talks with Iranian leaders in Tehran on regional peace and security.